“We’re doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Face the Nation on March 16 after President Donald Trump announced an extended campaign of U.S. military strikes intended to halt the Iranian-backed Houthis’ attacks on international commerce in the Red Sea.
You’ll have to forgive the rest of the world if it reacts with confusion rather than gratitude. After spending the past month justifiably browbeating European allies for their willingness to free-ride on U.S. military power, the Trump administration is allowing them—and shirking partners elsewhere—to do just that.
Far from a clear signal of resolve, U.S. military strikes in Yemen send a decidedly mixed message about the role Trump and his advisors want the United States to play in the world.
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