I agree. MTS! Use overwhelming force and destroy the Houthis, otherwise, we need to pack up and retrograde back stateside and wash our hands of everything.
I agree, we don’t have the combined arms of a MAGTF to deal with this type of threat. Technology by itself is NOT going to thwart the Houthis. Arabs understand one thing only, POWER, devastating POWER!
If how we are dealing with the Houthis is an indicator of how we will deal with the Chinese, we are screwed!
The reality of this situation is that the Houthis will continue their activity until harsh steps are taken by the US and our Allies. The Houthis action needs to be stopped and stopped now. The Houthis must experience the harsh reality that their actions will bring a crushing response by the US and Allies. Brute force must be taken to put an end to the Houthis attacks. They must have their will to fight shattered!
YES...MTS! The Houthis have continued to escalate and will keep escalating until they get hurt. The US administration’s strategy is attempting to prevent escalation and it ain’t working. If we are expending high cost missiles on Houthis drones for SLOC protection then let’s expend some precision ammunitions in retaliation on drone factories, storage, ports and launch sights. This will send a message to Houthis, the Yemen population, Iran and the CCP. (Frankly, an amphibious raid, besides the embarrassment, would really get the Houthis attention.) If we don’t have the stomach to conduct combined air, missile and drones strikes there is an alternative.
The United States, since its beginnings, has steadfastly believe in the principle of Freedom of the Seas. “The Freedom of the Seas is an international legal concept regarding non-territorial waters. It allows for ships to navigate the open seas freely without any restrictions in movement from one port to another.”
Crude petroleum is 80% of Yemen’s exports. With a blockade we can stop the crude oil exports and that will be a hard hit on their pocket book. With a blockade you have the right to inspect everything both coming and going. You do not have the right to create humanitarian hardships on the population; for example denying or stopping Yemen’s second largest import of cereals.
You would also be sending a message the CCP. Both the great power competition and a peer-to-peer war with China will focus on the control of the SLOCs. The best way to control a SLOC is to control the ends of the SLOC (ie - ports). I think the last time the US conducted a blockade was the Civil War. Initially, Lincoln wanted to close the Southern States Ports. The Brits stepped in and said you can’t close the ports but you can conduct a blockade preventing the import of military supplies. England wanted to ensure the export of cotton to their textile industry.
Blockading the Yemen ports would also be a great opportunity for the US Navy to brush off and review their SOPs on Blockades. I imagine they are very dusty after sitting in the file cabinets since the Civil War.
I suspect Iran is observing and calculating the radar capabilities, time to fire, missile telemtry, launch sequence, time to reload, target ID capabilities, angles of vulnerability..... at some point they will devise a combination of drones, missiles, number to overwhelm, launch sequences and combine with a surface feint to actually hit or sink a ship. This is reconnaissance by fire. Defense is a politically driven paradigm. You must hit the missiles on the ground, the people who launch them and even cut off the sources by sabotage and interdiction at sea.
Precision strikes are a nice idea if your Intel is good enough. Massive strikes are better. “But, we’ll just grow more enemies.” That logic is flawed. They already are and have more than enough motivation. While a dead enemy may motivate a new one, the dead one is no longer an issue. One lesson remains crystal clear: be energy independent and export it.
I agree. MTS! Use overwhelming force and destroy the Houthis, otherwise, we need to pack up and retrograde back stateside and wash our hands of everything.
I agree, we don’t have the combined arms of a MAGTF to deal with this type of threat. Technology by itself is NOT going to thwart the Houthis. Arabs understand one thing only, POWER, devastating POWER!
If how we are dealing with the Houthis is an indicator of how we will deal with the Chinese, we are screwed!
The reality of this situation is that the Houthis will continue their activity until harsh steps are taken by the US and our Allies. The Houthis action needs to be stopped and stopped now. The Houthis must experience the harsh reality that their actions will bring a crushing response by the US and Allies. Brute force must be taken to put an end to the Houthis attacks. They must have their will to fight shattered!
YES...MTS! The Houthis have continued to escalate and will keep escalating until they get hurt. The US administration’s strategy is attempting to prevent escalation and it ain’t working. If we are expending high cost missiles on Houthis drones for SLOC protection then let’s expend some precision ammunitions in retaliation on drone factories, storage, ports and launch sights. This will send a message to Houthis, the Yemen population, Iran and the CCP. (Frankly, an amphibious raid, besides the embarrassment, would really get the Houthis attention.) If we don’t have the stomach to conduct combined air, missile and drones strikes there is an alternative.
The United States, since its beginnings, has steadfastly believe in the principle of Freedom of the Seas. “The Freedom of the Seas is an international legal concept regarding non-territorial waters. It allows for ships to navigate the open seas freely without any restrictions in movement from one port to another.”
https://maintenanceandcure.com/maritime-blog/need-understand-freedom-seas/#:~:text=The%20Freedom%20of%20the%20Seas,from%20one%20port%20to%20another
LOAC has an item in its tool box that is available and it is called a Naval “Blockade” and protection of the SLOC can be justification for a blockade.
https://theblackwellfirm.com/blockade-in-international-law-understanding-its-nature-and-implications/
Crude petroleum is 80% of Yemen’s exports. With a blockade we can stop the crude oil exports and that will be a hard hit on their pocket book. With a blockade you have the right to inspect everything both coming and going. You do not have the right to create humanitarian hardships on the population; for example denying or stopping Yemen’s second largest import of cereals.
You would also be sending a message the CCP. Both the great power competition and a peer-to-peer war with China will focus on the control of the SLOCs. The best way to control a SLOC is to control the ends of the SLOC (ie - ports). I think the last time the US conducted a blockade was the Civil War. Initially, Lincoln wanted to close the Southern States Ports. The Brits stepped in and said you can’t close the ports but you can conduct a blockade preventing the import of military supplies. England wanted to ensure the export of cotton to their textile industry.
Blockading the Yemen ports would also be a great opportunity for the US Navy to brush off and review their SOPs on Blockades. I imagine they are very dusty after sitting in the file cabinets since the Civil War.
I suspect Iran is observing and calculating the radar capabilities, time to fire, missile telemtry, launch sequence, time to reload, target ID capabilities, angles of vulnerability..... at some point they will devise a combination of drones, missiles, number to overwhelm, launch sequences and combine with a surface feint to actually hit or sink a ship. This is reconnaissance by fire. Defense is a politically driven paradigm. You must hit the missiles on the ground, the people who launch them and even cut off the sources by sabotage and interdiction at sea.
Precision strikes are a nice idea if your Intel is good enough. Massive strikes are better. “But, we’ll just grow more enemies.” That logic is flawed. They already are and have more than enough motivation. While a dead enemy may motivate a new one, the dead one is no longer an issue. One lesson remains crystal clear: be energy independent and export it.