What will hopeful end of Iran War mean to North Dakota, gas prices, the economy?

The long-anticipated but elusive end to the war in Iran appears at hand. Of course, that comes as welcome news, albeit tempered by some unease about the totalitarian nation’s demonstrated lack of trustworthiness and hesitancy to put much stock in any such negotiated “deal.”

If history is any guide, as many of our nation’s leaders have noted, Iran can’t be trusted. That is perhaps the one point on which there is unanimity of opinion, across the political spectrum.

Although mixed with some degree of discomfort and caution, most Republicans have supported President Trump’s strikes on Iran, with a focus on preventing the rogue regime from possessing a nuclear weapon. The President has repeatedly opined that, if they ever possessed one, (as their track record likely indicates) they’d probably use it. 

Even his party’s support would, by many accounts, weaken if “troops on the ground” were introduced. 

There are also mixed feelings about a negotiated peace, with some favoring it while the most hawkish advocate continued strikes and “finishing what was started” by completely eliminating any of Iran’s current or future nuclear weaponry potential. That, most believe, would require at least some boots on the ground, making it an uncomfortable option for many.

As apparent details of the negotiated ”deal” leak out, more concerns are being voiced.

The divisions in current-day politics are as evident on this issue as on most others, with Democrats criticizing any action against Iran and, apparently, any move the President makes. They now assert that things were just fine before the bombing, a year ago, of Iran’s nuclear weapon development facility, burying the most dangerous elements of it deep within a mountain, and that that effort leaves us no better off or safer. The unverifiable criticism, of course, ignores the fact that the very elements of the Iranian nuclear weapon development program which were destroyed were, in fact, themselves a violation of the old agreements. They also express skepticism about any negotiated peace and appear posturing to frame the entire effort as a needless, costly exercise in futility.

Of course, all mourn the few Americans who lost their lives serving our nation in the Iran conflict but, unlike a generation ago during the Viet Nam War, the nation is deeply appreciative of the service of our military, once again. Recognizing the inherent danger of our troops being in harm’s way, we also recognize the inherent danger of military service anywhere, any time, and grieve their loss in routine activity, such as those who perished in a B52 bomber crash on a routine mission in California, just this week.

What does winding down hostilities mean for North Dakota?

For North Dakota citizens and for all Americans, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz will continue to spur the steady, if slow, drop in gas prices from their elevated levels earlier in the war and likely accelerate it. They have a way to go to reach pre-war levels seen early in the current Administration, but they seem headed in that direction, in recent weeks.

For the oil industry — one of North Dakota’s largest — it presents changes but, hopefully, not major downturns. As we previously reported, Continental Oil chief Harold Hamm announced the resumption of drilling operations in the state, full-well realizing that the high levels of oil prices at the time would not last, but resting assured that they’d retreat to sustainable levels for the industry and its operations here.

The stock market seems to be celebrating it, as the nation sighs a breath of relief, although a wary one.

Of course, the end of any war or conflict is welcome news to all. Many questions remain about how this one will actually be concluded and when. We all wonder how the coming announced post signing “negotiation” period which will nail down details as to how Iran’s nuclear future can really be limited, with any war-making potential eliminated. No doubt, everyone also wonders how all of this will be verified and whether Iran will keep its world or “cheat”, obscure, hide and circumvent, as it has in the past.

With the alternative being all out war and virtual obliteration of the enemy, the President and the majority of Americans and North Dakotans seem to agree that the diplomatic “solution” is at least worth a try. The President has warned, however, that any missteps by Iran or, presumably, attempts to “change the rules in the middle of the game” won’t be tolerated and that the consequences will be swift and firm.