Why Is America Protecting The Flow Of Oil Though The Red Sea?
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has created issues in other parts of the world, namely Yemen attacking ships in the Red Sea. And as usual, the United States has been placing our war ships in the Red sea to protect the shipping of one of the world’s most important products that travels through it, oil. But that brings up the question of “why is America protecting the flow of oil though the Red Sea?
The United States imports a relatively small portion of its oil through the Red Sea. Most of the U.S. oil imports come from: Canada: The largest supplier of crude oil to the United States, primarily through pipelines. Latin America: Countries like Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil also export significant amounts of oil to the U.S., mostly via the Gulf of Mexico. Middle East: Some oil from Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq is imported, but it generally travels through different maritime routes. West Africa: Nigeria and Angola are notable suppliers, and their oil generally travels across the Atlantic Ocean directly to the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts.
Given these sources, oil imports that the U.S. receives from the Middle East typically do not transit the Red Sea and Suez Canal but instead are shipped around the southern tip of Africa (the Cape of Good Hope) or through the Strait of Hormuz and across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Therefore, the proportion of U.S. oil imports traveling through the Red Sea is minimal.
A significant portion of China’s oil imports travels through the Red Sea, as this route is part of the journey for oil shipments from the Middle East and North Africa to China. Specifically: Middle Eastern Oil: A substantial amount of China’s crude oil imports come from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran. These shipments typically pass through the Arabian Sea, enter the Red Sea, and then transit the Suez Canal before continuing their journey to China via the Indian Ocean. African Oil: Oil exports from African nations, particularly those on the eastern coast like Sudan, may also travel through the Red Sea en route to China. Overall, it is estimated that approximately 40% to 50% of China’s crude oil imports pass through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, making this maritime route critically important for China’s energy supply.
So again, it begs the question, Why is America protecting the flow of oil through the Red Sea, when we ourselves have very little to gain from our actions? It seems that Saudi Arabia and China are the ones who have the largest stake in having a free flow of oil through the Red Sea. Why aren’t their warships there in the Red Sea shooting down the missiles that the Houthi’s are attacking the ships with? Let China go a month or two without any oil imports. Let Saudi Arabia go a month or two without exports. And at the same time we stop protecting Red Sea shipping, we announce that we intend on loosening up regulations on our oil industry so the America becomes energy independent.
Could you imagine the financial benefits the United States could gain by being energy independent and even better become an exporter at the same time? We could be paying down our national debt, while also funding the shortfall in things like Social Security. Maybe it’s time we do what’s best for America’s interests and let the world bear the costs of protecting their own industries.