Suez was the death knell for the British empire. Hormuz may do the same for the US

Suez was the death knell for the British empire. Hormuz may do the same for the US Submitted by Sami Al-Arian on Fri, 03/27/2026 - 14:13 As confrontation with Iran escalates, Washington risks repeating the 1956 Suez crisis, which hastened the end of sterling as a global reserve currency and forced imperial retreat Cargo ships in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s energy supplies pass, amid escalating confrontation between Iran and the United States, on 11 March 2026 (Reuters) Off Empires decline when their military reach outpaces their political strategy, when their economic foundations weaken, and when the people they seek to dominate endure long enough to outlast their overwhelming force. The nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956 marked such a turning point for the British Empire.