Do not shift the burden

The United States cannot expect its allies to assume the risks of a crisis it has largely shaped, nor can it redefine alliance obligations to fit the needs of a single policy moment. Yet these concerns have resurfaced in Washington’s call for military participation in securing the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran. Protecting a vital global shipping route is, in principle, a shared interest. But principle alone cannot determine policy. The current situation has developed through a sequence of decisions that has narrowed diplomatic options while increasing the likelihood of confrontation. Under such conditions, calls for immediate burden-sharing appear less like a collective strategy and more like an effort to distribute the consequences of escalation. Recent international responses underscore this reality. Several European Union member states have declined to participate, citing the absence of a clear mandate and the need for de-escalation. China has maintained a cautious distance. South Korea, despite its close alliance with Washington, has likewise approached theWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times