The prosperity we enjoy depends on Sea Lanes of Communication
The Pax Americana, the period since World War II when there have been no major world wars, has led to the greatest period of freedom the world has ever seen. Yes, there have been local wars, Vietnam to the current war in Ukraine, but these conflicts have not largely interrupted world commerce. They have caused some inconveniences but nothing on the scale of a global war.
More people have been lifted out of poverty with the Pax Americana than there were people living before. This prosperity is due to the freedom granted by the U.S. Navy keeping the Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) open and free for all.
The car you drive today is possible because of free SLOC. I was assigned a project with a seat sensor in a car. I was working quality control at a major auto manufacturer at the time. The sensor was used to determine if the passenger air bag would deploy. There was one primary supplier in Europe.
However, the sensor was made up of several components from different suppliers in multiple countries. The design was completed in Korea; components were from three different European countries, Mexico and the U.S. The manufacturer used more than 1,000 per day in its production. The primary supplier had to supply 1,000 per day to the seat supplier –that is a lot of international shipping.
These suppliers were selected after rigorous inspections and negotiations. There were good reasons the supplier base was scattered across the globe. This was just one component on a car, and there are thousands of these components that go into cars and trucks every day.
During COVID, there were issues with selling new houses in California. They could not get the garage doors to complete the builds. The garage doors were made in Georgia, but the hardware was made in China. The Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) were closed.
These are just two examples.
The U.S. Navy keeps the high seas open for all to navigate. The ongoing acts of piracy off the horn of Africa is one of the hot spots that need to be patrolled to keep commerce flowing. By keeping U.S. Naval Carrier forces in strategic locations, this freedom of the seas is allowed.
The many passages in Southeast Asia are also trouble spots that the U.S. Navy keeps clear for all nations to use. China over the last few decades has been building up the Spratley Islands to bolster its claim that the South China Sea is its domestic waters.
The idea that the U.S. is “The World’s Policeman” came to fruition after the Second World War. free SLOC has enabled the prices of everyday items to be lower and has brought more people out of poverty than ever before.
This is the sign of a strong democracy — powerful countries ensuring all countries have access to the global marketplace. This is the sign of a Christian nation, one that provides opportunities of all, not just a select few.
After celebrating our country’s 249th birthday this past weekend, we should pause to remember the prosperity that the world enjoys is due to the Sea Lanes of Communication being free to all. Let us remember those that have and are continuing to serve our country and the world to ensure this freedom, the members of the uniformed services of rhe Unites States of America.
