Why won’t Europe defend its own interests?

The US and Britain have joined forces to strike Houthi rebels who have been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea. But where is the rest of Europe when it comes to defending its own interests? The Netherlands has provided some logistic support – along with Australia, Bahrain and Canada – but European countries have otherwise opted out of the operation, just as they have so many times before.

This response to the Houthi attacks is no military adventure. It does not compare with the invasion of Iraq 21 years ago, which raised legitimate questions about the legality and wisdom of trying to invade, seize and rebuild a country. The operation in the Red Sea is a straightforward defence against illegal attacks on civilian ships. Those attacks are not just threatening the lives of sailors; they are blocking the most direct route for goods being transported to Europe from Asia and the Gulf. Europe has already suffered an energy crunch following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine; now the supply of replacement fuel is under threat. Among the many ships which have been forced to divert from the Red Sea and Suez canal and take ten days longer going around the Cape of Good Hope are ships carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar to Europe. As the shipping giant Maersk has warned, a protracted blockage of the Red Sea will add substantially to the cost of shipping and thwart global economic recovery.

A blockage of the Suez canal is Europe’s problem more than it is America’s, yet the European response has been feeble. Emmanuel Macron said he decided not to join in the military strikes because he doesn’t want France to get involved in an escalation of tensions in the Middle East – the Houthis have made it clear that they are trying to retaliate against Israel’s military operation.