Throughout his two terms in office, US President Donald Trump has not been shy to criticize – even to attack – Washington's NATO allies. But his latest suggestion – that failing to secure the Strait of Hormuz would be 'very bad for the future of NATO' – implies an understanding of the alliance's purpose that has already raised eyebrows.
'NATO was created as a… defensive alliance,' Gen Sir Nick Carter, former chief of the Defence Staff, told the BBC on Monday. 'It was not an alliance that was designed for one of the allies to go on a war of choice and then oblige everybody else to follow,' he stated.
Coming from a president who only two months ago was making strident claims to Greenland, the sovereign territory of a fellow NATO member, there is more than a little irony in the latest remarks. In Germany, a government spokesman said the war with Iran had 'nothing to do with NATO', while Defence Minister Boris Pistorius seemed to pour scorn on the idea that Europe's modest navies could make a difference. 'What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the powerful US navy cannot do?' he asked, stating, 'This is not our war. We have not started it.'
But none of this should hide the fact that there is now an urgent, and growing, need for a solution to the crisis in the Gulf. Iran's effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz – except for a handful of vessels carrying its oil to allies like India and China – has left Western governments scrambling to find a solution. It may be a crisis triggered by Trump's decision to go to war, but it is one that needs to be fixed quickly, before the impacts on the global economy get any worse.
At his news conference, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said conversations aimed at working out a 'viable plan' were ongoing with the US, European, and Gulf partners, but that we are 'not at the point of decisions yet'. In the meantime, the Royal Navy plans to use newly developed seaborne drones aimed at neutralizing mines without risking crews. However, even this involves a level of uncertainty as it has yet to be tested in a combat scenario.
As Trump suggests potentially aggressive maneuvers to keep the Strait open, resistance amongst allies grows. Many, including Germany, have firmly stated they will not participate. Predictions suggest that without a unified international approach, resolving the crisis will be exceedingly challenging, and as various nations weigh the risks involved, any plans remain unfulfilled.
'NATO was created as a… defensive alliance,' Gen Sir Nick Carter, former chief of the Defence Staff, told the BBC on Monday. 'It was not an alliance that was designed for one of the allies to go on a war of choice and then oblige everybody else to follow,' he stated.
Coming from a president who only two months ago was making strident claims to Greenland, the sovereign territory of a fellow NATO member, there is more than a little irony in the latest remarks. In Germany, a government spokesman said the war with Iran had 'nothing to do with NATO', while Defence Minister Boris Pistorius seemed to pour scorn on the idea that Europe's modest navies could make a difference. 'What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the powerful US navy cannot do?' he asked, stating, 'This is not our war. We have not started it.'
But none of this should hide the fact that there is now an urgent, and growing, need for a solution to the crisis in the Gulf. Iran's effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz – except for a handful of vessels carrying its oil to allies like India and China – has left Western governments scrambling to find a solution. It may be a crisis triggered by Trump's decision to go to war, but it is one that needs to be fixed quickly, before the impacts on the global economy get any worse.
At his news conference, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said conversations aimed at working out a 'viable plan' were ongoing with the US, European, and Gulf partners, but that we are 'not at the point of decisions yet'. In the meantime, the Royal Navy plans to use newly developed seaborne drones aimed at neutralizing mines without risking crews. However, even this involves a level of uncertainty as it has yet to be tested in a combat scenario.
As Trump suggests potentially aggressive maneuvers to keep the Strait open, resistance amongst allies grows. Many, including Germany, have firmly stated they will not participate. Predictions suggest that without a unified international approach, resolving the crisis will be exceedingly challenging, and as various nations weigh the risks involved, any plans remain unfulfilled.
