[bioh42_2]

Well you are right about the sarcasm, but otherwise the only fallout I can see is it would take longer to ship things and cost a bit more because more fuel will be used.

As I mentioned, the biggest ships today already can't use the Panama canal, and yet we keep building bigger ships because despite the extra time and cost of going 'round South America, it is still profitable.

Now would going around Africa be that much different? For huge container ships? For the US navy?

[borism]

besides Suez canal is really a non-issue for US military's current missions - it has firm positions at Diego Garcia, in Persian Gulf and Pacific which is really a stones throw.

Suez is real issue if you want to move that force into Mediterranean.