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Why the US’ waning naval dominance is a matter of global concern
As America’s hegemonic sea power has ebbed, the number of international maritime disputes has surged.
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Today, the US Navy has just 292 ships, not so many more than the 245 it possessed before World War I.
PHOTO: AFP
Hal Brands
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The Houthis are sinking ships and killing sailors. China is waging a persistent campaign to make the South China Sea its own private lake. Russia is claiming international waters in the Arctic Ocean. The war in Ukraine has made the Black Sea a shooting gallery.
The flashpoints are scattered, but the fundamental crisis is the same. Freedom of navigation is a hallmark of America’s liberal international order; it is a pillar of the relative peace and tremendous prosperity humanity has achieved.
