Dakota Beacon

American naval strategist, Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), taught that those who control the ocean’s choke points control the world’s shipping.

Choke points represent bottlenecks to ocean vessels. Certainly, choke points remain prominent in the movement of fleets and the global shipping of goods, especially oil. Alternate shipping routes are either non-existent or highly impractical.

These are the world’s choke points considered in geopolitical strategy.

--Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran at the entrance to the Persian Gulf through which passes twenty percent of the world’s oil.

--Bab-el-Mandeb controls shipping from the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea. Muslim pirates prey on the surrounding shipping lanes.

--Suez Canal, controlled by Egypt, links the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It was closed for eight years after the 1967 Six Day War with Israel. Today it carries 7.5% of the world’s trade.

--Turkish Strait at Bosporus links the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea through which passes oil coming from the Caspian region.

--Strait of Malacca between Singapore and Indonesia controls shipping between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. The Vietnam War was fought, in part, to deny this choke point to the Soviet Union operating from Vietnam.

These five choke points, comprising over half of the total, could be susceptible to control by Islamic radicals. The remaining choke points include:

--Panama Canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Red China controls port facilities at Balboa on the Pacific side and Christobal on the Atlantic side since the US withdrawal in 1999.

--Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Africa facilitates passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

--Cape Horn off the tip of South America and Cape of Good Hope off the tip of South Africa create choke points.

--The Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) Gap affords Russia, strapped for a warm water port, with limited access to the worlds oceans.

During the Cold War the Soviet Union and United States contended for control of choke points around the world. Often the US was placed in the awkward position of supporting dictatorial regimes in order to deny choke points to the Soviets.

Dark forces of extremism lurk throughout the Middle East. Islamic extremists contend for control of the world’s choke points today.

Enter the worldwide presence of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Formed in 1928, the MB became the Godfather of Hezbollah (controls Lebanon), Hamas (elected to control Gaza) and other factions.  Al-Qaeda’s leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri began their political lives with MB.

MB states its tenants in the following quote. “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

MB represents hardcore Islamists and is rejected by most Middle Eastern countries. MB was banned in Egypt in 1954. In Syria, MB membership is a capital offense since 1980. Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi has always considered MB an opponent. Saudi Arabia barely tolerates MB placing it under strict controls.

Egypt is in transition, but to what? When Hosni Mubarak departs, who follows? Legitimate economic and social grievances raise passions. But, getting rid of Mubarak quickly may not be the wisest move. Where are the democratic institutions to support a democracy? Unfortunately, MB is the only organized entity on the scene.

Everyone loves a revolution until it is hijacked. This was true of the French, Russian, Cuban and Iranian revolutions to name a few. America must not kid itself when viewing Mubarak’s departure through rose colored glasses. Egypt’s first election should not be its last one.

America, not to mention Europe, Japan, China and Russia, has a strategic interest in keeping the Suez and other choke points in friendly hands.