Holding onto a dying world
THE UNITED States and the United Kingdom’s military operation in the Red Sea, Prosperity Garden, is silly.
It’s silly because many (but not all) Western- flagged vessels have already rerouted their course. The only beneficiaries of their operations are Chinese and Russian flagged ships, and even that is debatable according to some reports. In other words, the US and UK vessels are fighting to serve the interests of their rivals.
This is made even more ridiculous in that some in China (despite the People’s Republic of China’s calls for the Houthis to cease their attacks) portray the US and UK operations against the Houthis as “imperialism”. So why do any of this at all? Let the Chinese and Russians protect the Red Sea, and they are doing little about it by the way.
The reason is that this isn’t about the United States’ interests. It’s about preserving Pax Americana. It is about preserving globalization. It is about preserving “freedom of navigation” which is a foreign policy abstraction, not necessarily tied to America’s interests.
In other words, America, along with Britain, see themselves as the pillars of the global system.
Some would point to the dollar’s global reserve status as the main reason for America’s motives, but I don’t think that’s enough of a reason.
The reserve status is more driven by America’s perceived economic (as well as its allies) stability than the guns of the US military. It will hurt America’s prestige as global hegemon, but I think we’re well past that at this point.
No, I would argue that the real reason the US is defending the Red Sea is because many in the America still believe it is their duty, that they should use their power to serve a peaceful world. Too bad for them. US voters want to focus attention on domestic issues, while the world seems to be becoming increasingly scornful of the American Peace./
Some would point to the dollar’s global reserve status as the main reason for America’s motives, but I don’t think that’s enough of a reason.