The new economic arms race

Iran’s weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz is the perfect example of how modern warfare is increasingly waged, not only with drones and bombs, but also through the weaponization of economic choke points. Today on the show, we talk to author Edward Fishman, who says the U.S. innovated a new kind of economic warfare a couple of decades ago, and that has sparked a new economic arms race. Edward Fishman’s book is “ Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare ”. The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first to sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: Think the oil shock is bad in the US? Look here Fixing the oil crisis might not fix the Persian Gulf How are drivers riding out the gas crisis? For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money,

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The new economic arms race is an episode from The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR.

This episode is 9:20 long.

This episode was published on Apr 29, 2026.

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