While that is absolutely the case, the problem they have here is that they don’t control escalatory dominance. Typically, the US can dial things up or down as convenient, and if things get too spicy they can leave without any consequence. But here, Iran controls a choke point of the global economy, and leaving would have disastrous geopolitical consequences for the US. If they’re forced to abandon all their vassals in the Gulf, then their image as a world power collapses overnight. How can Europe, occupied Korea, or Japan credibly think that the US will defend them at that point?
While that is absolutely the case, the problem they have here is that they don’t control escalatory dominance. Typically, the US can dial things up or down as convenient, and if things get too spicy they can leave without any consequence. But here, Iran controls a choke point of the global economy, and leaving would have disastrous geopolitical consequences for the US. If they’re forced to abandon all their vassals in the Gulf, then their image as a world power collapses overnight. How can Europe, occupied Korea, or Japan credibly think that the US will defend them at that point?