# Houthis occupy Red Sea territory **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 11, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996 "2026-09-11T13:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/21 "2026-09-14T16:14:34Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > And, credit where it’s due, every American Republican voter. Nitpick: Every American who voted Republican. They don’t get a pass just because they’re registered independent or Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/22 "2026-09-14T16:22:13Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the USA close to independence these days with its own domestic oil drilling? The main harm done to the US economy is because rising oil prices for _other_ nations will indirectly affect America? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/23 "2026-09-14T16:47:52Z")
Here’s a rather succinct answer (because going further here may be off-topic): > **[You Decide: Is the U.S. Energy Independent?        ](https://cals.ncsu.edu/news/you-decide-is-the-u-s-energy-independent/)** > > NC State economist Mike Walden explains the challenges in filling U.S. fuel needs from domestic supplies versus imported oil. > **Quoting the linked article** > > One reason is that all oil is not the same. There are two fundamental types of oil, so-called “light oil” and “heavy oil.” The U.S. produces a significant amount of light oil, but our refineries built decades ago primarily were constructed to turn heavy oil into gasoline and other fuels. As a result, our country imports heavy oil from other countries. > > A second problem is where the oil is produced and where the refineries are located in our country. U.S. oil wells are in the interior of the country and in Alaska, while refineries are typically on the U.S. coasts. It is often easier for imported oil to reach refineries using the ocean rather than to transport oil from U.S. wells over land to the refineries. > > The third issue is the fact that oil is an international commodity sold and bought all around the world. In this kind of economic environment, the price of the commodity tends to be the same wherever the commodity is traded. Hence, if the standard price of oil is $100 a barrel in the Middle East, it will also be $100 in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Which means that – in a very real sense – “energy independence” is mostly an accounting term. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/24 "2026-09-14T16:50:26Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > So - is there a Plan? Yes. A $5,000 check if you stop asking inconvenient questions. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/25 "2026-09-14T16:55:29Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the USA close to independence these days with its own domestic oil drilling? The main harm done to the US economy is because rising oil prices for _other_ nations will indirectly affect America? The issue with oil production is that it’s relatively easy to come up with short term solutions that ignore the long term problems. Oil is a finite resource. You can extract more in a given year but that’s just moving that date closer when you run out. This administration has been encouraging companies to increase domestic oil extraction. That’s pushing the numbers up for 2026. But at the current rate of oil extraction, the United States will run out of oil around 2043. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/26 "2026-09-14T21:02:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > How many items off the list will they have to use if gas prices hit six or seven dollars a gallon? None–because Donald will deploy his best skill: [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kn4bpau3bvuotzgtljrv3ofi/bafkreic4lghfoni23afeauljygagjqybenfpbgsfrmrh2ordc3pcozma34) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kn4bpau3bvuotzgtljrv3ofi/bafkreic4lghfoni23afeauljygagjqybenfpbgsfrmrh2ordc3pcozma34) (Cartoon by Dave Whamond.) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/27 "2026-09-14T21:16:18Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > So - is there a Plan? Take Pete’s Hegseth’s car, go to The White House, deal with Trump, grab a pizza, and head straight to The Winchester pub to have a nice cold pint and wait for it all to blow over ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/28 "2026-09-15T00:42:02Z")
Do you mean deal with Trump or _“deal”_ with Trump? It matters because I need to know if I have to bring money to the pub or whether the beer will be free that night. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/29 "2026-09-15T00:44:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Do you mean deal with Trump or _“deal”_ with Trump? I’ll just leave this here with no further comments. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E0zzXX6KGgw/maxresdefault.jpg "Shaun's Plan | SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) Movie CLIP HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0zzXX6KGgw) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/30 "2026-09-15T01:07:14Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > I’ll just leave this here with no further comments. No, I got that. [I, in turn, was thinking of this one.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf32oJ_9HLg) ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/31 "2026-09-15T01:38:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > How many items off the list will they have to use if gas prices hit six or seven dollars a gallon? And the answer is… NONE OF THEM! It’s Ukraine’s fault for hitting Russian oil facilities! > **[Trump blames Ukraine for America’s record-high diesel prices](https://www.ms.now/news/trump-iran-war-diesel-gas-prices-ukraine-russia)** > > “This isn't done by the Middle East,” Trump insisted, after previously linking soaring fuel prices to his war with Iran. Wait…I thought we quit buying Russian oil, didn’t we? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/32 "2026-09-15T02:43:23Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Wait…I thought we quit buying Russian oil, didn’t we? Putin must have explained it to him. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/33 "2026-09-15T03:16:31Z")
Although I think Putin would rather if Trump asked on the low instead of announcing it on the news. HEY RUSSIA SAYS STOP BOMBING THEIR DIESEL! Well boys, guess what we’re bombing tomorrow? Speaking of things being bombed tomorrow, how’s shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait right now? Looking at Wiki, I see the Arabic translation for those words is “grief gate”. Someone was thinking when they named that, I tell you what. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/34 "2026-09-15T05:02:42Z")
At some point Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia will have signed a peace treaty. I would not count on any of the terms being favorable to the US. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/35 "2026-09-15T11:58:16Z")
This is starting to look much more likely than not. Saudi Arabia has no stomach for full out war with Yemen, or Iran for that matter. They’re afraid to get their white kaftans soiled. The second they pull Trump’s knife out of their back, they’ll throw a lavish peace conference with their neighbors and have a good laugh over Trump falling for the glowing orb bit. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/36 "2026-09-15T12:26:59Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Although I think Putin would rather if Trump asked on the low instead of announcing it on the news. HEY RUSSIA SAYS STOP BOMBING THEIR DIESEL! Well boys, guess what we’re bombing tomorrow? I’m sure Putin is aware that Trump has never had an unspoken thought pass through his head. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/37 "2026-09-15T13:39:20Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > They’re afraid to get their white kaftans soiled The Gulf Arabs are realizing that they can’t just hire some Filipinos to fight their wars for them. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/38 "2026-09-15T13:41:42Z")
They should reach out to North Korea. Those guys will fight for food. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/39 "2026-09-15T13:49:38Z")
Nah, Saudi Arabia actually ratified the Convention against Mercenaries, unlike, e.g., the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996/40 "2026-09-15T13:51:38Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Nah, Saudi Arabia actually ratified the Convention against Mercenaries, unlike, e.g., the U.S So is your point that it’s better to [sign a document and completely disregard it](https://georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org/2019/02/24/saudi-arabias-sudanese-mercenaries-in-yemen/amp/) rather than not signing it in the first place? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houthis-occupy-red-sea-territory/1032996.md?page=3)