Washington Faces Defeat in Red Sea Donnybrook, by Mike Whitney

By the U.S. government’s own admission, it is losing to a fighting force that is spending 1 to 10 percent as much as the U.S. is. From Mike Whitney at unz.com:

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The Houthis have agreed to end their attacks on commercial traffic in the Red Sea if Israel allows the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. This is not just a reasonable proposal, it’s a policy that is supported by the vast majority of people around the world.

In June, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released a report highlighting the impact of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The report is a devastating account of Washington’s failure to protect critical transit corridors in one of the world’s most important waterways. The Biden administration’s makeshift naval coalition, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, has not only been unable to ensure safe passage for commercial carriers in the Red Sea, it’s actually made matters worse. The Houthis have fine-tuned their military operations while adding more lethal weapons to their arsenal. In short, the Houthis have shown that a disparate group of militants can impose costly penalties on their enemies by implementing asymmetrical strategies that undermine the “rules-based order”.

Here’s an excerpt from the DIA’s report:As of mid-February, container shipping through Red Sea had declined by approximately 90% since December 2023; shipping via the Red Sea typically accounts for approximately 10-15% of international maritime trade….

As of mid-February, container shipping through Red Sea had declined by approximately 90% since December 2023; shipping via the Red Sea typically accounts for approximately 10-15% of international maritime trade….

Alternate shipping routes around Africa add about 11,000 nautical miles, 1-2 weeks of transit time, and approximately $1 million in fuel costs for each voyage. For many shipping companies, the combined costs of crew bonuses, war risk insurance (roughly 1000% more than pre-war costs)…

As of mid-February, insurance premiums for Red Sea transits have risen to 0.7-1.0% of a ship’s total value, compared to less than 0.1% prior to December 2023 Houthi Attacks Placing Pressure on International Trade, DIA

This is a shocking report. According to the Government’s own analysis, Biden’s Red Sea policy has been an abject failure. Container shipping is down by 90 percent while insurance premiums, fueling costs and ‘extra miles sailed’ have skyrocketed. There’s not a trace of optimism in the entire report. The Houthis have basically achieved all of their strategic objectives while Washington’s meddling has accomplished nothing.

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