(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - The Houthis and their Iranian backers have already succeeded in their goal of damaging Western interests. They've forced the world to deploy scarce naval assets to defend commercial shipping. Yet they have paid no political or military price for this modern piracy. What if the Houthis and Iran don't heed the warning of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and stand down? Will the U.S. do what it hasn't so far and retaliate with strikes on Houthi launch sites or missile stores? These questions go to the heart of failing U.S. deterrence against the world's rogues. Letting the Houthis terrorize a crucial world shipping lane is a failure that will further disrupt the Middle East and radiate to other parts of the world.
2023-12-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive