The David Frum Show Watching War From the Strait of Hormuz
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Apr 1, 2026 Graeme Wood, journalist and Atlantic staff writer who reports from the Middle East, shares firsthand scenes from the Strait of Hormuz and nearby strikes. He recounts snorkeling amid regional tensions, drone and missile strikes in Dubai, and how oil flows, deterrence, and shifting Gulf alliances shape what happens next.
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U.S. Signals Enabled Iranian Economic Leverage
- The Trump administration's public panic over energy markets taught Iran that economic pain coerces U.S. restraint.
- David Frum argues repeated reassuring jawboning failed; markets stopped buying it and Iran exploited U.S. low pain threshold.
Snorkeling Found Calm Water Amid War Headlines
- Graeme Wood took a Dow into the Strait of Hormuz and found calm, holiday-like water despite the war headlines.
- He spent five hours, saw dolphins and fewer than half a dozen active crossing boats, and filmed quiet fjords near the strait.
Iran Restrains Attacks To Protect Its People And Funds
- Iran is holding back far more destructive options because strikes would hit Iranian expatriates and assets in Gulf cities like Dubai.
- Graeme notes Dubai shelters Iranian money and people, making wholesale attacks politically costly for Tehran.
