RED SEA HOUTHI PIRACY BECOMING UNTENABLE

The situation in the Red Sea has become so complicated that few observers understand the stakes. Erik Prince has the bigger picture outside the conventional view of Iran proxies in Yemen declaring war on ships owned by Israel's Western allies. The situation has forced owners to by-pass the Suez canal, taking the historical long route via Cape Good Hope in South Africa with an added fuel cost of 500,000 barrels a day. But as Prince explains, this has momentous consequences for trade. We talked about some of that in an earlier posting: "The Red Sea lanes and the Suez Canal are of vital importance to Europe. The bulk of the cargo passing the Bab Al-Mandeb are (Greek) tankers, carrying fuel for Europe (link). Due to recent unintelligent, globalist policies, the price of fuel has been under too much pressure as it is. Houthi attacks on tankers are the last thing Europe needs right now" (link). On Feb. 19 the EU Commission is expected to sign off on the Greek led mission, code named 'Aspides' to defend commercial ships against Iran-backed Houthi missile attacks.


Feb. 13, 2024 Off Leash: Iran piracy on the Red Sea expands the war on Israel.

Things have clearly developed since our posting on Feb. 2. US bases in Iraq, Jordan and Syria are under such frequent attacks, that the Biden regime is now considering dismantling them. Looks like they have played their part. This would indicate that war with Iran is now imminent. 


Although some pundits critical of war with Iran seem to think present situation is still can be solved by diplomatic means, clearly it has become untenable, with Egypt losing forty percent of its revenue, oil and container traffic bound for the West under Houthi siege, and shipping cost more than quadrupled and insurance going through the roof!

The EU has stressed the defensive character of its mission "to defend commercial shipping"; clearly Josep "Jungle" Borrell does not expect his navy emissaries having to fight. But that was the situation at the beginning of the month...

Prince is suggesting a full scale war will not be necessary to solve the problem. He thinks it can be done under title 50 authority. Title 50 outlines the role of War and National Defense in the United States Code (link, PDF). But that is probably not what Biden is looking for right now. 

You'd wish this war would be fought under better auspices and more effective leadership than the inept Biden regime. Their policies have effectively re-activated an Iran that was on its knees. Now they're having to go to war! 

This policy is part of a doctrine held by Obama as well as Biden that believes it is somehow expedient to support both sides in a conflict, i.e. Israel as well as Hamas and Iran. Now it ready to bite them in the behind. 

Erik Prince explains the present is a virtual repetition of a situation in 1960s that illustrates the complexities involved. 



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