If yesterday’s two-week cease fire deal takes root it will spell the end of American economic and military dominance in the Middle East, possibly the world. Make no mistake, it wasn’t Pakistani statecraft that convinced the Mullocracy to acquiesce to a cessation of hostilities. It was China’s telling the Iranians to agree or else.

Pakistani involvement was mere window dressing to lull Trump into snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Unless the cease fire breaks down, China will be stepping into the vacuum and establishing virtual hegemony on the entire region.

The Chinese can, and will, deploy several hundred thousand laborers on a moment’s notice to repair – in record time – all the damage to Iranian civilian and military infrastructure. For this it has a proven track record and all the necessary human resources. As compensation, China will demand, and get, control over Iranian ports; will establish military bases that effectively control the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandab; and will become the exclusive seller of military hardware and aircraft to Iran. And, of course, China will rebuild and take over Iran’s steel, aluminum and petrochemical industries.

The Chinese will reap tremendous, ongoing rewards for their brilliant move. Because, unlike Americans, the Chinese have patience and are into things for the long haul. A rebuilt Iranian economy will allow China to harvest trillions in the decades ahead while assuring it of an unimpeded flow of oil at prices it will dictate. And it will effectively erase America as a player in the region.

But the implications are more far-reaching than our backyard. It has been assumed that China was waiting to see how the Iran imbroglio would play out before deciding whether to invade Taiwan. It is now clear that America is incapable, under the best of circumstances, of playing an end game. And certainly, after expending untold billions on the war with Iran, the United States is in no position or mood to engage with China over Taiwan.

Unless the cease fire is torpedoed by Iran, China will have scored the victory of victories. And despite Iran’s threatening to ditch any peace accord on account of Israel’s continued attacks against Hezbollah, it is unlikely that China will allow that to interfere with its smooth takeover.

What all this will mean for Israel remains a big question mark. It is fairly certain that China will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons or long-range ballistic missiles. It will surely prevent Iran from attacking Israel or financing and supplying its proxies. But Israel, and indeed all of its neighbors, should be very wary about China’s appetite for global dominance. We have no have no way of knowing how this might affect us, and affect us it will.

As a chess game, China has won the jackpot brilliantly, and without spending a cent. America and Israel did all the work while China reaps all the rewards.

Trump committed a colossal blunder by agreeing to the ceasefire. He allowed his ego to get in the way of his common sense. He convinced himself that he had achieved victory. And he did, but it was a victory for China. He should have stayed the course. Check mate.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)