Not particularly
by OITLinebacker (2024-02-08 10:38:30)

In reply to: There, does everyone feel better?  posted by BeijingIrish


Mostly because I have difficulty seeing any "good" answers to many questions about US involvement in the region. I know for good or for ill, the US is tied to Israel, and it is likely a bad idea to walk away from that even if the US could and wanted to. The Middle East has rarely known peace in the entirety of human history, and I don't know when or how humanity will solve that issue. The only thing I can think of is putting more or less a fence around the region, letting them sort themselves out, and then figuring out how to work with the winner. That looks pretty cynical and bloody and impractical.

As for such attacks on US forces, maybe let it known that all US forces in the region are now authorized to respond immediately to incoming fire and will return fire on drones, missiles, mortars, small arms, etc, with much bigger sticks. Additionally, let it be known that any vessel, no matter how flagged, that transmits information on US asset locations will be assumed taken over by pirate/terrorist forces and treated accordingly (aka blown out of the water. Transmit the warnings loud in clear and then follow through. Get these various groups to understand that attacking US "peacekeeping" assets in the region is going to end only one way with the US forces having itchy trigger fingers blasting anything that farts in their direction. I don't like that answer for the tactics of using civilian or false flags to initiate attacks opens up bad outcomes, but what doesn't at this point?

It would be nice to pull back even more from the region if possible. Further reduction of the US Economy needing oil to run on while also increasing domestic production would be a very good start. It would also be nice to get NATO/EU to take a bit of interest in helping with the protection of the sea lanes if the UN isn't willing to step in. It's going to take some sort of international force to at least allow the free flow of commerce on the seas.