Monday, December 18, 2023

Houthis Strike Ships in Gulf

       Houthi rebel forces, armed by everybody's favorite Muslim country-Iran, has begun firing missiles at ships transiting key straits in the Gulf of Aden. The civil war in Yemen has been ongoing for several years with considerable loss of lives among Yemenites. The Houthis, a proxy force for Iran, is confronting Yemen which is supported by Saudi Arabia. So in essence: Arab v. Arab, westerners keep out. However, shipping in the area consists largely of oil tankers headed to China, Japan, and Africa, among others. It is a source of dollars for the Saudi royal family currently run by MBS, the crown prince.

      So, British warships and US warships have shot down numerous drones fired from Houthi emplacements in Yemen. Large shipping companies(Maersk, etc.) have sognaled they will no longer send ships through this area until further notice. Given developments in Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, the world and the West does not need another armed conflict on the agenda. However, the importance of ship traffic here as part of world trade/economics necessitates focus immediately.

     Serious long term approaches to Iran's leadership and its foreign interventionist programs cannot be ignored any longer. As along time supporter of HAMAS/Hezbollah, Iran must be brought to heel. Israel cannot be used as a proxy in this fight: the West must step up to the plate and hit the long ball against this evil regime that for decades has been a source of religious zealotry with Islam at its core belief system. Religious fundamentalism has no place in politics, then and now.

     Can the EU and the US get together here? Will the UN finally be shown for what it is: a shell game of overpaid jaw flappers?

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