Gulf Of Eden Pros And Cons
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia. The waterway is part of the important Suez Canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea with 21,000 ships crossing the gulf annually. The Gulf of Aden is a vital waterway for shipping, especially for Persian Gulf oil, making it an integral waterway in the world economy.
The Gulf of Aden is an area known for acts of piracy, earning it the nickname “Pirate Alley”, and making its waters dangerous for transport. The main cause of piracy in the gulf is the lack of any viable government in Somalia which has been defined by the state of civil war since 1991. The International Maritime Bureau reported over two dozen actual and attempted attacks in …show more content…
Despite an initial 2% rise in oil prices, oil markets ultimately did not react significantly to the Iranian threat. In fact, Iran threatened to take action if the U.S. Navy moves an aircraft carrier back into the Persian Gulf. However, On 9 January 2012, the Iranian Defense Minister denied that Iran had ever claimed that it would close the Strait of Hormuz, which would create a global conflict as about 90% of the oil exports from the Persian Gulf transit the Strait of Hormuz each day.
Many presume that it would be relatively easy for an attacker to "close the strait." How hard would it be, using modern military equipment and a trained, professional force? What political and military steps could countries like the United States take to remedy the situation?
An analysis reveals that the bottom line is that oil supplies are more secure than many people seem to believe. While there is a clear role for the United States military in protecting the freedom of the seas and contributing to energy security, the threat is not so dire that the U.S. forces need to take a "hair-trigger"
The Gulf of Aden is an area known for acts of piracy, earning it the nickname “Pirate Alley”, and making its waters dangerous for transport. The main cause of piracy in the gulf is the lack of any viable government in Somalia which has been defined by the state of civil war since 1991. The International Maritime Bureau reported over two dozen actual and attempted attacks in …show more content…
Despite an initial 2% rise in oil prices, oil markets ultimately did not react significantly to the Iranian threat. In fact, Iran threatened to take action if the U.S. Navy moves an aircraft carrier back into the Persian Gulf. However, On 9 January 2012, the Iranian Defense Minister denied that Iran had ever claimed that it would close the Strait of Hormuz, which would create a global conflict as about 90% of the oil exports from the Persian Gulf transit the Strait of Hormuz each day.
Many presume that it would be relatively easy for an attacker to "close the strait." How hard would it be, using modern military equipment and a trained, professional force? What political and military steps could countries like the United States take to remedy the situation?
An analysis reveals that the bottom line is that oil supplies are more secure than many people seem to believe. While there is a clear role for the United States military in protecting the freedom of the seas and contributing to energy security, the threat is not so dire that the U.S. forces need to take a "hair-trigger"