Week 8 Post

Summary

In Fromherz's article, "Why the Strait of Hormuz is Still the World's Most Important Checkpoint and why the United States should Guarantee its Security," he writes about how it connects the people who live along the shores of East Africa and Asia to the heart of the Middle East. 90 percent of oil exported from the Persian Gulf, about 20 percent of the world's supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. It is an important region of the world for oil trade and shipping. No one group has ever actually controlled the entire Strait of Hormuz even though Persia tried to claim it. There are different groups of people such as Shihuh mountain groups and Dhahoori fisherman who have control from Muscat and others who try to control other parts of the Strait. To keep a balance so trade occurs the United States navy has a presence in the Strait of Hormuz and acts as a guarantor.

There have been times when the United States navy intervened in wars, in 1987, the Iran and Iraq war to prevent attacks on Kuwaiti ships, in 1988 the United States sank Iranian warships and patrol boats during the so-called tanker war. Then a few years later the United States began the first Gulf War to stop Iraq from seizing Kuwait. In response for Iran to gain better negotiating posture it began sending small, lightweight vessels to harass and attack huge tankers and container ships to end crippling sanctions and not outright conflict. However, the stakes are higher today than they were in the 1980s and 1990s if a confrontation were to occur over shipping between the United States and Iran, and one that could turn nuclear. In turn instead of assuring the region's security, the United States has pursued short-term benefits, selling arms to Gulf partners and taking sides in largely fruitless inter-Gulf squabbles, driving partners such as Qatar toward Iran and allowing the Saudis to take too many risks, such as intervening in the Yemeni Civil War. If this keeps up the whole region is at risk collapsing in an outright conflict and war. The Gulf would be split with the countries taking sides and a battle for control for the important Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Saudi Arabia in that case might get on the same side and try to control the entire Strait, while Oman will try to maintain what it controls. Heavy weapons may get involved along with sunken warships and most likely who will get control of the oil and shipping and oil trading.