Allied Burden-Sharing, Escalation in the Middle East, and the Limits of Naval Power in an Era of Concurrent Crises
Demetrios Tsailas (ret Admiral)
(He has taught for many years, operational planning, strategy, and security, to senior officers at the Supreme Joint War College. He is a member and researcher of the Institute for National and International Security)
Copyright: @ 2026 Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 18 October 2026
Note: The article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of the Research Institute for European and American Studies
Abstract
The growing number of simultaneous security challenges has exposed a fundamental weakness in Western strategic planning. Military commitments are expanding faster than the resources available to sustain them. Tensions involving Iran, threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, renewed Houthi pressure on Saudi Arabia, and Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine have brought this problem into sharper focus. The central question is not whether Western powers possess sufficient military strength, but whether they can employ it selectively without weakening their position elsewhere.... Read more