Geopolitical Chicken, or America's Red Sea Dilemma

A US attack on the Houthi would lead to retaliation against US bases in Bahrain and Qatar, and would risk a regional war with Iran which in turn would weaken the US' position in Ukraine and Taiwan.

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are temporarily suspending shipping through the Suez Canal, following repeated Houthi attacks on commercial tanker, bulk cargo and container ships that risked sinking them. Houthi attacks on shipping are calculated, and are intended to force a choice on the US between expanding this conflict and making it regional, which in turn w…