Escalation was the wrong way to handle the attacks on Red Sea commercial shipping at the start of the year, and further escalation is the wrong answer today.
This time, it's a retired admiral turned private equity board member who is calling for more force as a solution to the failure of force also known as throwing good money after bad, a reason to withdraw your investments from the Carlyle Group if you have any with this guy in charge. The handwringing that Stavridis brings to bear on the Yemeni hit to commercial shipping also neglects to mention the decrepit state of the U.S. Navy which is manning its 50 year old aircraft carriers with the grandsons of its original crew last seen limping and lurching out of the Red Sea.
"There is also the small matter that U.S. military action against the Houthis is unauthorized and illegal. The president had no authority to initiate strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen five months ago, and he has no authority to continue waging a “sustained campaign” there today. Congress never debated this action. Congress never voted to authorize this mission. Congress should insist that U.S. forces be withdrawn from combat. If it was illegal for Obama and Trump to involve the U.S. in the war on Yemen in a supporting role (and it was), it is illegal for Biden to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities against the Houthis."
Who cares about legality? What matters is power.
Anyway, let us not kid ourselves - if Biden were to go to Congress today, they would give him any authority he asked for, retroactively if need be, and declare existing or any future Israeli genocide to be totally legal and justified, to boot.
And I'm beginning to think that the half wits in Washington are starting to realize that U.S. power is diminishing, although they may not understand how much they have helped that to happen.
Since those who urge escalation face no consequences for doing so, they will ever always only urge escalation.
"United Fruit can't make enough money? Send in the Marines!"
"Houthis won't let us do genocide? Send in the Marines!"
This goes double for the Houthis, because their leaders have no western assets to seize or freeze, no western toys to withhold or confiscate and consequently, the usual patterns of sanctions and asset seizure doesn't work.
This time, it's a retired admiral turned private equity board member who is calling for more force as a solution to the failure of force also known as throwing good money after bad, a reason to withdraw your investments from the Carlyle Group if you have any with this guy in charge. The handwringing that Stavridis brings to bear on the Yemeni hit to commercial shipping also neglects to mention the decrepit state of the U.S. Navy which is manning its 50 year old aircraft carriers with the grandsons of its original crew last seen limping and lurching out of the Red Sea.
"There is also the small matter that U.S. military action against the Houthis is unauthorized and illegal. The president had no authority to initiate strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen five months ago, and he has no authority to continue waging a “sustained campaign” there today. Congress never debated this action. Congress never voted to authorize this mission. Congress should insist that U.S. forces be withdrawn from combat. If it was illegal for Obama and Trump to involve the U.S. in the war on Yemen in a supporting role (and it was), it is illegal for Biden to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities against the Houthis."
Who cares about legality? What matters is power.
Anyway, let us not kid ourselves - if Biden were to go to Congress today, they would give him any authority he asked for, retroactively if need be, and declare existing or any future Israeli genocide to be totally legal and justified, to boot.
No questions asked..
"What matters is power."
And I'm beginning to think that the half wits in Washington are starting to realize that U.S. power is diminishing, although they may not understand how much they have helped that to happen.
The sociopaths who run things would annihilate us all rather than face the loss of their perches.
Since those who urge escalation face no consequences for doing so, they will ever always only urge escalation.
"United Fruit can't make enough money? Send in the Marines!"
"Houthis won't let us do genocide? Send in the Marines!"
This goes double for the Houthis, because their leaders have no western assets to seize or freeze, no western toys to withhold or confiscate and consequently, the usual patterns of sanctions and asset seizure doesn't work.