More than a week ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that he would form a Red Sea escort coalition of more than 20 countries to combat the interception of merchant ships by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. However, the current information shows that the US operation in the Red Sea has not made substantial progress, so it can be said unequivocally that this operation has failed in stages.
Although more than 35 ships from 12 different countries are deployed near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, but a lot of countriesIt is only a formal pretense that it clearly does not accept the command of the United States. In addition, some countries participated in a purely mixed group and did not contribute substantial troops. Thus, the current situation in the Red Sea, the alliance of more than 20 fleetsThe number is limited, and the number of troops is also insufficient, whileMilitaryThere are relatively many advisors, and this is only a symbolic support from the allies.
Specifically, some countries that have been more aggressive, such as France and the United Kingdom, should be disappointed by this situation. The momentum of the 20-nation alliance and the strong support of the United States that they had hoped for did not appear, and now they can only see the helplessness and embarrassment of the United States in this action.
However, it is surprising that despite the actual landing of the Red Sea operation, the United States has actually sent a shout to China, hoping that China will join the alliance and jointly exert pressure on the Houthis in Yemen. However, it is clear that China will not accede to such a request.
As a world power, China has the responsibility to maintain the stability of the international situation, but this does not mean that China will participate in the US alliance of Red Sea operations, because the real intentions of the United States are doubtful. It is still unclear whether the United States wants to demonstrate its hegemonic influence in the Middle East or whether it really wants to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If it is the former, then China cannot help it;If it is the latter, then the United States is also not qualified to ask for China's participation.
The phased failure of the US Red Sea operation has given us a lot to think about. First, the operation showed the relative decline of U.S. influence in the Middle East, and that the U.S. may be overestimating its own power and influence. Second, the United States may also not correctly judge the current complex situation in the Middle East, so there is some blindness in its actions.
In addition, the United States' remarks about China have also exposed the inauthenticity of the United States in handling international affairs. Such a demand by the United States not only does not bring real benefits to China, but may bring unnecessary trouble to China. For China, it is indispensable to maintain the stability of the international situation, but this does not mean that China will blindly meet the demands of the United States.
Finally, the failure of the American operation in the Red Sea also shows us the fact that alliances are not formed only in name, but also in terms of substantial forces and cooperation. The coalition of more than 20 nations that the United States has neglected to call up this time is at best a symbolic support, and cannot truly suppress the Houthis in Yemen.
In summary, the U.S. Red Sea operation is facing a phased failure, mainly due to the poor participation of alliance members and the blindness of the United States in the operation. At the same time, the intention behind the United States' shouting about China also deserves our vigilance. In international affairs, each country should make choices based on its own rights and responsibilities, rather than blindly obeying the commands of other countries.