Iran would not attack desalination plants, that would be a huge crime against humanity.
If Saudi Arabia houses US military for attack on Iran (and without Saudi Arabia housing US military-- war on Iran is impossible), Iran can destroy 30-50% of water desalination plants to put pressure and destabilize Saudi Arabia. Water desalination is an Achilles heel of Saudi Arabia and Iran will use it as a
deterrence or punishment for Saudi Arabia. Saudis
should know that they are not secure.
US never defaults on their debt, you should read about the US' "exorbitant privilege".
US federal debt is 104% of GDP and is rising every year. Just for example when Greece's debt grew to 130% of GDP there was a major crisis in Greece. Of course US is not Greece but the debt level is alarming.
In 2019 US will add additional 1 trillion to its debt.
If USA goes to war with Iran, US economy will fall into recession. In recession you have falling government income from taxes and growing spending due to retirement of baby boomers and growing costs of war. You have falling income and rising spending--- meaning US budget deficit will be so huge and debt will be growing so quickly, that investors will demand higher interest rates on bonds. High interest rates will kill economy that is already in recession.
If US prints money to fund ballooning budget deficit, this will devalue US dollar and generate high levels of inflation. If inflation is high and dollar devalues---all investors will sell dollar and US government bonds---- and buy real estate or gold and this will only exacerbate the problems. With high inflation, dollar devaluation and US government bonds falling in price as everyone sells them----dollar will lose the status of global reserve currency.
The truth is that conflict in the Persian Gulf will be so devastating to global economy and
highly indebted US economy in particular, that US will never attack Iran even if Iran starts enriching uranium to 90 percent from tomorrow.
When you take into account all the consequences of war with Iran---like direct costs of war, recession, huge budget deficit and rising interest rates, or inflation and dollar devaluation or dollar loosing the status of global reserve currency----Dr Abbasi's costs might be nearly correct (though not just in 6 month period)
Even without major crisis in the Persian Gulf, there are people like Ray Dalio-head of the largest hedge fund in the world, who believe
US budget deficits will be so huge in the next years that investors (who already hold a lot of US government bonds) won't be able to buy all new bonds that will be issued in the next years.---so highly indebted US simply doesn't have money to fight a war with Iran
