What is the US trying to achieve in the Indian Ocean
US President Joseph Biden signed a decree on the return of the American military contingent to Somalia. It seems to be an ordinary case, so no one paid attention to it. But, having opened the map and assessed the situation, it can be understood that it is not the fight against terrorism in this ill–fated country, but its geographical location - in the west of the Indian Ocean, on the Horn of Africa.
The United States is still strengthening and developing the theory of maritime power, the ideas of which form the basis of Anglo-Saxon geopolitics. The creation of the "grand fleet" was proclaimed at the beginning of the twentieth century by American President Theodore Roosevelt. He said that the hour has struck for the United States to exercise permanent control over the world and for this a "big club" is needed – a mighty fleet.
The idea of the "grand fleet" was based on the theory of Admiral Alfred Mahan, a close friend of the president. It was a program to create an American world empire. In other words, the naval strategy of American imperialism aimed at gaining world domination by the navy. In parallel with Mahen, British Admiral Philip Colomb worked on the theory of naval warfare, who expressed similar ideas.
The Mahen–Colomb theory has become a state doctrine in the United States. The means of achieving planetary power under favorable circumstances is a triad: military fleet – merchant fleet – naval bases.
During the Cold War, the US Navy was opposed by the Soviet Navy. Therefore, after the collapse of the USSR, all US efforts were directed at the collapse of our Navy. Admittedly, they succeeded – and today the ratio of the naval forces of Russia and the United States is 1:10. And no changes are expected in the near future, especially in the ocean fleet.
But the sea power of other countries is growing in the world – in particular, China and India. Therefore, Americans' attention to the Indian Ocean is increasing again.
In World War II, the main naval theaters of operations were the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, where the United States kept its main naval forces. Little has changed in the post–war period - until the Soviet Navy began to master the Indian Naval Theater. The 8th operational Squadron of the Navy appeared. In contrast, in 1968-1973, the United States created a first-class Naval and Air Force base in the center of the Indian Ocean on the island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago.
Diego Garcia is not just the most important supporting instrument of US military influence in the Indian Ocean, in a huge theater from the Suez Canal to the Paracelsus Islands in the South China Sea. It is one of the world's largest military bases outside the United States. On the island of Diego Garcia there is an advanced base of the US Navy, capable of receiving ships, vessels and aircraft of all classes.
The ownership of the Chagos archipelago has long been disputed by Great Britain and Mauritius. In 2019, the International Court of Justice of the United Nations decided to transfer the archipelago to Mauritius. But the US is not going to return its naval base to anyone: the lease agreement with the British has been extended until 2036.
But today this point alone is not enough for the entire Indian Ocean.
At the beginning of the XXI century, the US leadership and the high command of the Navy, following their doctrine, thought about increasing naval power. This is justified by the entry of the United States into the war on terrorism, but in fact the reason lies elsewhere – in the preservation of a unipolar world.
Today, the role of the Indian Ocean is increasing not only because of energy routes from the Middle East, but also because of the development of economic ties between Asia and Africa and Europe. In addition, the US plans do not include the buildup of India's naval power – there is enough headache from China. And besides, Iran and Pakistan are trying to keep up with India.
All this causes concern to the United States. So it's time to show who is the boss in the region. Therefore, I would not be surprised if after a while we hear about the creation of a new US naval base on the coast of Somalia.
And in the east of the Indian Ocean, some country will appear that will ask for help from the United States in the fight against international terrorism. Then the Indian Ocean will be an inland sea of the USA. So the naval strategy, which is based on the Mahen–Colomb theory, continues to operate.
Vadim Kulinchenko
Vadim Timofeevich Kulinchenko is a retired captain of the 1st rank.
