The Red Sea Crisis and Operation Prosperity Guardian: The Plan to Stop a Global Economic Meltdown

Toward the end of 2023, Houthi rebels from the Yemen Civil War began targeting ships passing through the Red Sea. This is is a vital economic chokepoint, with 15% of world trade passing through it and 10% of seaborne oil. What is motivating the attacks? How is the United States trying to stop them? And what will happen if those initial efforts fail?

0:00 Houthi Crisis in the Red Sea
1:19 Background on the Yemen Civil War
3:30 The Shipping Crisis
7:43 How Much Will This Cost the World?
17:39 What Is Operation Prosperity Guardian?
23:32 Will Operation Prosperity Guardian Work?
27:50 What Will the United States Do Next?

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

By Government of Ukraine:

[Michaelonyoutub]

On the US protecting sea trade, one of America's first wars after gaining independence was against the states along the north african coast as they were pirates who seized any ships from any country that didn't pay them tribute. America's history of protecting trade worldwide is almost as old as the country itself.

[jwnbe]

Comparing geopolitics to gambling is both cynical and apt. Thank you for your unbiased reporting

[logicalparadox]

What I am most interested in seeing that NO ONE else has done, is a comprehensive look at what actual escalation scenarios might look like. Every news outlet simply implies or overtly states that expansion of the war into “a regional conflict” would somehow automatically put us on the verge of WW3. Is that actually so? I feel like the danger is real, but what is missing is a sense of degree of risk and of the big picture of how much all this could actually spiral.

[nooftaheri]

This only the second video of yours i have watched, but it is already clear to me that you have a valuable perspective. You earned a new sub :)

[seneca]

It should be noted that some countries, like France, are also in the Red Sea protecting cargo ships without participating in the Operation Prosperity Guardian. Presumably this is, at least in France's case, because they don't want to subject their ships to American command.

[noyopacific]

Thanks for the video Professor Spaniel !!! BTW, you made a minor point at 11:15, that while your audience demographic is old we are not ancient as the conflict in the Suez Canal. This audience member (me, ) actually was born before the Suez Crisis. 😜
Thanks again for sharing your excellent insights into conflict. I personally believe that Egypt, considering their major interest in the effect on shipping, should be expected to take a bigger role in bringing a resolution to the attacks in the Red Sea and maybe even the attacks on their neighbors in Gaza.

[ericbiencourt]

If people want a more in depth day to day info, the channel "What's going on in shipping" does break downs of the attacks and some of the effects for the diversions. He is a bit political but it is still very informative.

[gaetanocarminefrancescopao]

Regarding the houthis controlling a small part of Yemen, they control a small land area, but all the population is concentrated on the Red Sea coast, while the east is pretty much empty.

[umjackd]

I hope this crisis creates more awareness about how the global supply chain and free trade actually works. A lot of people talk about how either the US doesn't need anyone, or conversely that American military bases are a new form of imperialism.

The latter is only somewhat true in the sense that the US has created a world order that runs on free trade and is seeking to maintain it, including with military partnerships. They didn't impose those military bases, they pay for them. And the bases serve as partnerships with other countries which facilitate free trade.

Japan wouldn't survive as a country today without being able to trade with the world. It, and many other countries, live and die on being able to trade with the rest of the world. Any threat to that by any regional actor is a small-minded act that endangers what is actually a quite precarious system of trade. Some countries might feel like this system is imposed upon them, but most people benefit from a more open and trading world, just not thugs who build authoritarian systems which prefer to control their own people.

[mbarker_lng]

We've lived in a 24x7 news cycle for well over a decade. Yet it seems like there is a one major crisis after another these days since the pandemic, like falling dominoes...

[TheWibbe]

"The suez canal - the worlds favorite real life warp zone" had me laughing hard 😂

[Generalth]

Hi William!

This channel has found the Suez Canal into my attention span.

[RedKytten]

All this reinforces Canada's need to work with Norway in the arctic. As the region becomes navigational... it is going too become the worlds most important trade route, and I would much rather the two of us (Canada and Norway) set the rules and such, rather than Russia and/or the 'near arctic' nation of China.

[Grenadier]

I appreciate the high quality of your content and believe many more subs are in order.

[fernsong]

Last time I was this early the flag of Sealand was in the thumbnail

[aaronleverton]

79 ships per day? I have lived on roads with less cars per day than that. Sitting watching that go passed would feel like interstate trucks on a highway (lived on one of them, too), so much for a relaxing stay by the seaside.

[Chuck_Hooks]

Appreciate the Houthi contribution to US navy readiness and training.

[JosephKano]

Interesting to see your take after watching Peruns PowerPoint about all this.

[cosmosofinfinity]

This video is incredible. I am blown away by your ability to put together something so comprehensive, yet so concise, so quickly

[emlel]

The demographics data took me off guard, guess im to young to be interested in geopolitics (just kidding, your content is amazing)