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The real objective appears to be a test run on shutting down two of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. Without access to both ends of the Red Sea, a large portion of the world's shipping will be routed around South Africa, resulting in price increases and disrupted supply chains. //
The Houthis are now spreading propaganda about:
“stopping international maritime trade through the Suez Canal” pic.twitter.com/El1KSQ2srB
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 15, 2023 //
That this is happening under the nose of two US carrier strike groups is not a good look, but this is the price of Joe Biden kowtowing to Iran. We have within our power the ability to put this nonsense to a halt in short order, but we're not. The Congress should explore that reasoning, but it won't. //
Red is the original BRIC countries, green is the addition of South Africa making BRICA, and yellow is new invitees. Look at the maritime chokepoint map; there are some similarities. Note: Argentina has declined membership. If you look at what is happening in the Red Sea as a dry run for shutting down those checkpoints in case of war over Taiwan, it makes a lot of sense. If you recall, in 2021, the Suez Canal was blocked for six days and cost billions in losses when a container ship, the Ever Given, wedged itself into a critical point in the canal.
The Ever Given was owned by a Taiwanese company called the Evergreen Line. That Taiwanese company had extremely close ties to Communist China. //
In a totally unconnected event, another Evergreen ship, the Ever Forward, ran aground just outside Baltimore Harbor in March 2022.
The US Navy exists to protect the United States and guarantee freedom of navigation in international waters. //
We will be damned lucky to avoid a war with China in the next few years, with 2027 being the most probable. We can be assured that every act the Houthi take is calibrated to test the actions of the US, NATO, and Western commercial interests. What we are teaching China is much more likely to encourage than discourage them.