Donald Trump has requested that America's Asian allies, including Japan and South Korea, send forces to help open the Strait of Hormuz. However, these countries face a tricky dilemma as they worry about their armed forces becoming embroiled in a distant conflict and being abandoned by America.
South Korea has an anti-piracy force that operates in the Gulf of Aden, but redeploying it might require parliamentary approval. Public backlash to such ideas has already begun, with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions declaring that sending South Korean warships would be 'nothing less than a military mobilisation supporting the war of aggression.'
Australia has sent a command-and-control aircraft and some air-to-air missiles to the Middle East, but it has been careful to frame its response as an effort to help defend the United Arab Emirates rather than a boost to America's war effort.
Japan's prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, is scheduled to meet Mr Trump at the White House on March 19th, and Japan has minesweepers that could help open the strait. However, polling suggests 75% of Japanese oppose the conflict, and there are tricky questions about Japan's pacifist constitution.
Asian allies may feel obliged to answer Mr Trump's call, but they are worried about being abandoned by America. They have long threatened to withdraw American support for allies unless they pay tribute to Uncle Sam, and now they are worrying that American forces stationed in Asia will leave for the Middle East regardless.
Already an American Marine expeditionary unit based in Japan has begun sailing towards the Gulf at high speed, and America has redeployed Patriot interceptor missiles and parts of a THAAD missile defence system based in South Korea.
Taiwan is in perhaps the most precarious position, as America is not bound by treaty to defend the island. However, it has long pledged to deter a Chinese assault by selling Taiwan weapons it can use to defend itself, and Taiwan's government now worries that the conflict in the Middle East might delay the arrival of arms it has ordered from America.
