Iran could be the US's Boer war: a hollow victory that marks the beginning of the end of empire | Larry Elliott

US leaders anticipated a walkover. Now they’re embroiled in a conflict that could hasten the end of US economic dominance Nobody gave the Boers a prayer when the war in South Africa began in 1899. It was farmers ranged against the might of the British empire, and the expectation was that resistance would quickly crumble. Eventually, might did prevail. Britain won the Boer war, but it was a hollow victory that took the best part of three years to achieve and came at a high cost. The blow to B...

By Larry Elliott