Why would a foreign country be "very concerned" about the readiness of the U.S. military? 
The Israel-Hamas War Lounge
- Thread starter Ember
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I think China is sick of Israel's nonsense. They better hope India can come rescue them and they probably should have thought this through years ago, they would have of if they were half as smart as they thought they were.Why would a foreign country be "very concerned" about the readiness of the U.S. military?
The only thing China cares about, is the undisrupted flow of resources and goods. Houthis actions in the Red Sea, which increase costs of shipping (higher insurance, the need to hire security), are not something that China will appreciate.
Hopefully China is saying "okay USA and Israel, you have pushed so much degeneracy on your own people that your own militaries cannot keep our goods safe and we don't want that filth in our country, so we will go another direction".
I think that China, in general, is happy with the US attention, and resources, focused in the Middle East . The more we commit to keep Israel on life support, the less we have to commit to the Indo-Pacific.
As for the shipping lanes, the Russo-Iranian run International North-South Transport Corridor still has it's limits - bottlenecks when going from ship to train and vice versa - so the old trade route through the Suez Canal is still a better choice for shipping cargo into the Mediterranean Basin.
Addendum
(I'm posting on a hit and run basis, sorry for that)
If the sittuation off the coast of Yemen, escalates even further, it will affect all cargo carriers including Iran - fire exchange between Houthis and the US Navy will pose a threat (getting caught in the crossfire) to any vessel in the area regardless of its flag.
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British owned ship, under the Bahamas flag, was hit by a missile in the Red Sea.
In all fairness, even perennial “naysayers” like the French are privately very invested in keeping the US militarily strong (and France’s local weapons industry is the biggest of any Western power outside the US).Why would a foreign country be "very concerned" about the readiness of the U.S. military?
The French navy allegedly ran out of ordinance during a Libya mission around the time Gaddafi was toppled, as just one example. They also need the US due to the former’s massive MENA+SSA population - the US does the Middle East work that would lead to riots in Paris and Marseilles et al if France did more of it.
I also think it is incorrect to compare Netanyahu’s political class with the diversity obsessives coming from the American Jewish population (and American white liberals).
Netanyahu’s partial courting of LGBT madness is very unfortunate, but he still knows which way the bread is buttered. US support for Israel depends on a curious mix of neocons and oftentimes semi-isolationist white evangelicals allied now to Trump.
Today, there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea. These three vessels are connected to 14 separate nations. The Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS CARNEY responded to the distress calls from the ships and provided assistance.
At approximately 9:15 a.m. Sanaa time, the CARNEY detected an anti-ship ballistic missile attack fired from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen toward the M/V UNITY EXPLORER, impacting in the vicinity of the vessel. UNITY EXPLORER is a Bahamas flagged, U.K. owned and operated, bulk cargo ship crewed by sailors from two nations. The CARNEY was conducting a patrol in the Red Sea and detected the attack on the UNITY EXPLORER.
At approximately 12 p.m., and while in international waters, CARNEY engaged and shot down a UAV launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. The drone was headed toward CARNEY although its specific target is not clear. We cannot assess at this time whether the Carney was a target of the UAVs. There was no damage to the U.S. vessel or injuries to personnel.
In a separate attack at approximately 12:35 p.m., UNITY EXPLORER reported they were struck by a missile fired from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen. CARNEY responded to the distress call. While assisting with the damage assessment, CARNEY detected another inbound UAV, destroying the drone with no damage or injuries on the CARNEY or UNITY EXPLORER. UNITY EXPLORER reports minor damage from the missile strike.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. the M/V NUMBER 9 was struck by a missile fired from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen while operating international shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The Panamanian flagged, Bermuda and U.K. owned and operated, bulk carrier reported damage and no casualties.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., the M/V SOPHIE II, sent a distress call stating they were struck by a missile. CARNEY again responded to the distress call and reported no significant damage. While en route to render support, CARNEY shot down a UAV headed in its direction. SOPHIE II is a Panamanian flagged bulk carrier, crewed by sailors from eight countries.
These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security. They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world. We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran. The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners.
Houthis should have stick to actions directed only againt Israeli vessels, disrupting international trade won't bring them any sympathy.
100 percent agreed.
Ive been saying this, having been the recipient of attempted inbound Houthi surface to ship missiles...after they hit a UAE ship....this is why I personally have a disliking (to say the least) for the group.
If there haven't been strikes already occuring, which I suspect... There will be strike packages sent up currently.
It will make it easier for the US to gather support for an anti-Houthi task force, since now, after the attacks on neutral vessels, American strikes won't be carried out in the name of the jew, but in the name of freedom of commerce and navigation.
Yes. But piracy should always be crushed. Doesn't matter if it's Houthis, or Australian, or Russian, or Israeli, or Chinese or American. Piracy is bad period. Rightly or wrongly... Out navy is the world police on the seas... And a coalition will form to support exactly what you said. (Saw this first hand with the Sarkozy plan and the resulting coalition around Libya and Sirte...where I was involved during deployment) the US will do the heavy lifting...but it will be a broad consensus of acceptable action.
For my perspective as a Logistician/Supply chain expert:
Anything that effects ships traveling through Suez Canal routes and destabilizes global shipping trade should be vigorously prosecuted, as this effects world wide order and transports of goods, food, ECT. And in turn negatively effects day to day consumers like you and I. As freight is destabilized, prices will go up. This cost will passed on to us.
Thats the pragmatic reality of the situation.
That's why I said that:
Trade blockade of Israel could have been, somewhat, justified, but launching missiles on a bulk carrier (Unity Explorer) going from New Orleans to Singapore that has nothing to do with Israel ain't justifiable.
Houthis either had poor intel, or they lack trigger discipline.
Yemen's entire infrastructure was destroyed, bombed with US weapons by US proxies. Hundreds of thousands died. Also, Nordstream, arguably the greatest act of piracy in modern times...
Sarkozy's Libya plans weren't about stopping piracy, it was an act of ZOG state piracy, robbing their gold reserves and foreign bank accounts, taking over their oil, and making sure they don't challenge the global central banking system.
Nothing new under the sun, see Smedley Butler's Banana Wars.
Don't focus only on big politics. Think about a Chinaman on the other side of the world that now has to pay extra 10% (or more) for insurance, or about a retail store owner in the midwest who won't be able to restock in time for the Christmas season, or about some lady in Mexico or the Philippines whose worried sick about her husband who works on a merchant vessel. For them, and many others, a US led strike force against the Houthis will be a blessing. If previously, it would be difficult for the US to gather support for another round in the Middle East, now it will be easier - even countries that are ambiguous toward Israel, will support an operation to protect freedom of navigation.
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I missed that. Agreed. You're on point here. My experience is the latter.
Love the Smedley Butler reference. I've mentioned him about 10 times on here.
Piracy, in the maritime sense, is specifically what I'm talking about.
Ghadafi was right about many things he said regarding his people. The houthis and the Libyan tribal element seem to be similar.
Re: Nordsteam ECT... Piracy vs economic sabotage...2 different things. The latter being an act of war against a state (which Brits/US/UKR was involved in) the former being non-state actors attacking maritime trade.
Next stop Guyana, where Chavez is trying to take over the oil rich areas. Won't happen. Exxonmobil has the contract for the oil and they are heavily invested in. We are much more likely to get involved there than anywhere else since this is a HUGE impact for the #1 SuperMajor oil and gas firm.
If things continue to heat up with :Guyana/Venezuela. Ill make a post in the upcoming days about this. As Maduro (I mistakenly said Chavez) looks to use military forces for annexation due to off shore opportunities. From an O&G perspective and share some industry info and nuance. This is a hangover from the British Empire, but there's ties to US commerce accordingly (XOM, Hess, interests/investments in Suriname ECT)I missed that. Agreed. You're on point here. My experience is the latter.
Love the Smedley Butler reference. I've mentioned him about 10 times on here.
Piracy, in the maritime sense, is specifically what I'm talking about.
Ghadafi was right about many things he said regarding his people. The houthis and the Libyan tribal element seem to be similar.
Re: Nordsteam ECT... Piracy vs economic sabotage...2 different things. The latter being an act of war against a state (which Brits/US/UKR was involved in) the former being non-state actors attacking maritime trade.
Next stop Guyana, where Chavez is trying to take over the oil rich areas. Won't happen. Exxonmobil has the contract for the oil and they are heavily invested in. We are much more likely to get involved there than anywhere else since this is a HUGE impact for the #1 SuperMajor oil and gas firm.
If it fizzles out and peace is reached then Glory to God...no need.
Who is going to spend money attacking the Houthis to support the USA? France? Great Britain? Yes, I am sure they will. And they are in the same position as the USA. I don't see the Russia or China helping in this cause, not after the USA has shown both countries how disgusting, vile and evil we are.
So, it will be the same NATO foes. With crumbling infrastructure, with a population who has no loyalty to the nation state, with technology that is proven to be over priced and perform not up to task, with Generals who are affirmation action hires and will be made fools on the battle field. So, what will be the big plan? They will fly their over priced jets over Yemen and bomb women and children, all the while the middle class collapses and crime and poverty spreads in their own countries. They will put special forces on the ground, but when those caskets return drapped in flags, good luck selling to the people why this is so important. These evil elites had their chance and they destroyed it with their ignorance and arrogance.
Now let me turn it around on you guys. Do you think the leaders of Iran are stupid? They just crushed our equipment in Ukraine. They have stood toe to toe with the USA in the Middle East for over 20 years now. They have made inroads with both China and Russia, while the idiots running the USA isolated them when they just wanted a fair shake when it came to trade. They have advanced their technology in the best possible way, by building it at home by actually rewarding men for hard work instead of punishing them like in the west.
This is a well-planned and coordinated effort. Iran knows how weak the USA is. I would go as far to say that Iran knows more about the reality of the situation in the USA than 99% of the idiots in DC or on Wall Street. They calculated this risk and they found it worthwhile. I am sure they even ran it by Russia and China first.
Why would they do this? Because Iran knows if they can suck the idiots in the west into one more war for Israel, it will be lights out of the west. At the same time, Iran knows Israel controls the USA, so the USA has almost no choice. Checkmate. The idiots in the west will run full speed into this obvious trap.
So, it will be the same NATO foes. With crumbling infrastructure, with a population who has no loyalty to the nation state, with technology that is proven to be over priced and perform not up to task, with Generals who are affirmation action hires and will be made fools on the battle field. So, what will be the big plan? They will fly their over priced jets over Yemen and bomb women and children, all the while the middle class collapses and crime and poverty spreads in their own countries. They will put special forces on the ground, but when those caskets return drapped in flags, good luck selling to the people why this is so important. These evil elites had their chance and they destroyed it with their ignorance and arrogance.
Now let me turn it around on you guys. Do you think the leaders of Iran are stupid? They just crushed our equipment in Ukraine. They have stood toe to toe with the USA in the Middle East for over 20 years now. They have made inroads with both China and Russia, while the idiots running the USA isolated them when they just wanted a fair shake when it came to trade. They have advanced their technology in the best possible way, by building it at home by actually rewarding men for hard work instead of punishing them like in the west.
This is a well-planned and coordinated effort. Iran knows how weak the USA is. I would go as far to say that Iran knows more about the reality of the situation in the USA than 99% of the idiots in DC or on Wall Street. They calculated this risk and they found it worthwhile. I am sure they even ran it by Russia and China first.
Why would they do this? Because Iran knows if they can suck the idiots in the west into one more war for Israel, it will be lights out of the west. At the same time, Iran knows Israel controls the USA, so the USA has almost no choice. Checkmate. The idiots in the west will run full speed into this obvious trap.