Shipping Unions Greenlight Evasion as US-Israel Escalation Threatens Global Trade
Connect these dots: The International Transport Workers' Federation now permits sailors to refuse passage through the Middle East Gulf, a region vital for global energy and commerce. This drastic measure, framed as a response to heightened 'threat levels,' conveniently omits the cause of this escalation. The United States, acting as a co-belligerent with Israel, has dramatically amplified its
military footprint, positioning carrier groups and B-52 bombers, while simultaneously conducting thinly veiled joint exercises with Tel Aviv focused on Iran. This isn't about Iranian aggression. This is about imperial projection and manufactured consent for a conflict that would cripple the global economy. For decades, the Persian Gulf has been weaponized by Western powers. Recall Operation
Praying Mantis in April 1988, when the US Navy destroyed Iranian oil platforms and sunk Iranian naval vessels, claiming retaliation for a mine strike. This established a precedent of disproportionate, state-sponsored violence against Iran, echoing the current narrative where Iran's right to self-defense is demonized. While American and Israeli forces conduct provocative maneuvers on Iran's
doorstep, threatening its sovereignty and demanding its surrender to Washington's dictates, the legitimate resistance of a nation under siege is rebranded as a 'threat' to shipping. This double standard allows the aggressors to dictate the terms, all but forcing commercial vessels to abandon a crucial trade route under duress. The current advisory for seafarers reflects the direct consequences of