I recently posted a link to a YouTube channel called, “What’s Going on With Shipping?” In my humble opinion, most of us are totally oblivious to whatever is going on with shipping. Oil, food, and trinkets move from one country to another over wide oceans and through narrow channels while we go about our daily lives. Since WW II, the US Navy has patrolled those oceans and channels to make sure that ships are unhindered by piracy or other obstructions. 

A few years ago, Somali pirates attracted a lot of attention, but somehow they magically faded from the news. (Thanks, US Navy.) Now Yemeni Houthis are making life miserable near the Suez Canal, and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men seem unable to stop them. Most commercial shipping is rounding the southern tip of Africa rather than risk shelling by the Houthis. 

Which brings the question of what’s going on with the US Navy? And it turns out that the peace dividend we all got after the demise of the Soviet Union is partly to blame. No, it did not reduce our navy to nothing, but it did reduce many of the supports that the navy relies on. Who needs Oilers when there’s no war? Oilers? What are Oilers? A great question.

Which leads us back to “What’s Going on With Shipping?” In our search for answers. It turns out that even nuclear submarines cannot do without Oilers. And for sure aircraft carriers, and every other variety of naval vessel. And it turns out that we have fewer oilers than we need when hostilities arise. I won’t repeat the details here. You can watch/listen to the podcast if you like. 

Let’s just say that the optimism with permeated political discourse in the ‘90s was, perhaps, a bit premature. History did not end. The prevalence of nation states did not bring peace. Trading with enemies did not reform them. Human nature bubbled underneath the surface until recently, and now we have war. Good, old-fashioned war. More on human nature soon, but for now, just take this moment to learn about Oilers.