Ghana News
Bright Simons Says History Shows How the Strait of Hormuz Can Be Reopened
In a sweeping essay on ‘magical realpolitik,’ the Ghanaian policy analyst diagnoses a dangerous strategic amnesia as Iran chokes one of the world’s most vital shipping chokepoints
The Strait of Hormuz is closed again. Oil tankers are avoiding the passage. Global energy markets are bracing for shock. And Western strategists are wringing their hands as though facing an unprecedented crisis.
But here is what they have forgotten, according to renowned policy analyst Bright Simons: Iran tried this before. In 1988, the United States Navy sank half of Iran’s surface fleet in a single afternoon. The strait reopened. Oil flowed.
“Thirty-eight years later, the strait is closed again. And the overwhelming majority of Western strategists, including those who lived through the 1980s tanker war, write and speak as though Iran’s capacity to choke the world’s most important oil chokepoint were some unprecedented riddle rather than a recurring test of naval power with a well-documented resolution,” Simons writes in a provocative new essay titled “Magical Realpolitik: Two Kinds of Facts Wrestle for the Soul of Realism.”
The 1988 Precedent: Operation Praying Mantis
In the spring of 1988, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard began laying mines across the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf. The Ayatollah’s navy had spent months dissuading tanker traffic from the Strait of Hormuz. Washington responded with the largest convoy operation since the Second World War.
Within a year, the American navy had sunk or crippled half the Iranian surface fleet in a single engagement – Operation Praying Mantis – and Tehran was forced to accept a ceasefire it had rejected for eight years.
The episode was filed away as a footnote to the Iran-Iraq War and largely forgotten except among history buffs.
Simons argues that this forgetting is deeper than it looks. It reveals something about how facts travel – and fail to travel – through the cogs of foreign policy.
Two Kinds of Facts
Simons, one of Ghana’s most respected policy analysts and a prominent voice on global affairs, introduces a framework he calls “magical realpolitik” to explain the phenomenon.
He distinguishes between two species of fact:
- Expert-mediated facts emerge from structured inquiry, peer review, institutional memory, and the slow accumulation of case studies. Robert Pape’s finding that strategic bombing has never toppled an entrenched regime on its own is an expert-mediated fact.
- Facts on the ground are workaday, commonplace things visible at the perceptual level – accessible to anyone with eyes and a map. The Strait of Hormuz is closed to most shipping traffic: that is a fact on the ground. Russia occupies parts of eastern Ukraine: fact on the ground.
Both claim residence in the house of realism. Both are, in principle, about the world as it is. But they can pull in opposite directions.
The Liberal Blind Spot
Simons is careful to note that the problem is not limited to populists or authoritarians. Liberal internationalists are equally susceptible.
“Consider the persistent failure of Western strategic commentary to remember that Iran has already tried to close the Strait of Hormuz and was physically dislodged by American naval power,” he writes.
“The tanker war of 1987–88 is not classified information. It is taught in war colleges. And yet the analytical class repeatedly treats Hormuz closures as though they were entering uncharted territory, when the historical precedent points unambiguously to a specific resolution: concentrated naval force, applied with political will, historically reopens the strait.”
America’s Shrinking Navy
Simons notes a crucial complication: the U.S. Navy is not what it was in 1988.
“America’s slimming fleet size – from nearly 1,250 in 1946 to less than 300 today – and overreliance on its technology edge is the real bottleneck here,” he writes. “Not to talk about the Navy’s failure to maintain its minesweepers.”
The expert-mediated overlay – game-theoretic models of escalation, scenario analyses of Chinese and Russian responses, elaborate calculations of oil-market elasticity – buries the ground-level precedent under layers of contingent complexity until the simple, poignant ground-fact disappears.
A Call for Epistemic Discipline
Simons concludes with four implications for strategists and policy advisers:
- Epistemic discipline – Every significant strategic assessment should be stress-tested against both species of fact. Where the two conflict, the analyst’s job is to sit with the tension rather than resolve it prematurely.
- Narrative skepticism – Wherever a foreign-policy program presents itself as a seamless unity, look for the seams. Fractures are the fuel of analysis.
- Historical recovery – Magical realpolitik thrives on amnesia. The antidote is granular, unflattering, specific historical knowledge that resists compression into tidy narratives.
- Accepting uncertainty – Realism itself is no longer a stable paradigm. In a world where facts have fractured into competing epistemic registers, the realist claim to privilege “the world as it is” becomes a question rather than an answer. Which world? Whose facts?
“The savvy strategist and analyst resists that enchantment, fact by fact,” Simons writes.
The rhythmic tones of Mandarin echoed through Ghana’s cultural heartland on Thursday, May 21, 2026, as the country’s brightest young linguists gathered for the national final of the 2026 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Students.
Held in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, the event transformed the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) into a vibrant stage for Sino-African camaraderie.
Local students demonstrated not only brilliant language skills but also a deep talent for Chinese calligraphy, music, and traditional dance.
The two-day competition, hosted by the Confucius Institute at KNUST, brought together a diverse cohort of competitors.
University students from KNUST, the University of Cape Coast, and the University of Ghana competed alongside primary, junior high, and senior high school students from various Chinese language programs around the West African nation.
‘Opening a Window to a Beautiful Way of Thinking’
Speaking at the event, Ke Ningli, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at KNUST, expressed profound joy at the growing enthusiasm for Mandarin.
“To see so many young Ghanaians full of passion for the Chinese language and eager to explore the ancient and modern aspects of China is truly remarkable,” Ke told Xinhua. “This competition connects the hearts and cultures of young people from China and Ghana.”
The event was more than a linguistic test; it was a celebration of the deepening ties between the two nations. Charles Ofosu Marfo, provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at KNUST, praised the courage of the youngest participants.
“By mastering Chinese characters and tones at your age, you are not just learning words; you are also opening a significant window into a rich history, vibrant tradition, and a beautiful way of thinking,” Marfo told the audience.
The Future Facilitators of Partnership
Marfo added that the students represent the future facilitators of the deepening Sino-Ghanaian partnership, driving mutual growth, industrial innovation, and cultural exchange.
As the competition draws to a close on Friday, judges are expected to select a single winner who will represent Ghana on the global stage at the international final later this year.
For the hundreds of students in attendance, the event served as a powerful reminder that in an increasingly interconnected world, language is the ultimate bridge.
Health Minister assures citizens no cases recorded in West Africa, yet urges preventive measures as WHO declares public health emergency
Ghana’s Health Minister has assured citizens that the risk of Ebola in the country remains low, with no cases recorded in Ghana or anywhere in West Africa, even as he urged Ghanaians to practice rigorous hand hygiene and called on event organizers to provide sanitizing stations at mass gatherings.
In a public address on Thursday, May 21, 2026, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh sought to balance reassurance with vigilance following the World Health Organization’s declaration of Ebola as a public health emergency of international concern last week.
“It is important to note that no cases have been recorded in West Africa, including our dear country, Ghana,” the Minister said. “However, it is said prevention is always better than cure.”
Low Risk, but Not No Risk
Akandoh explained that Ebola is a viral disease spread through direct contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, and contaminated surfaces or materials. He listed key symptoms including sudden fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and unexplained bleeding – urging anyone experiencing these signs to report immediately to the nearest health facility.
Despite the low-risk assessment, the Minister outlined specific precautions for the public.
“Practice good hand hygiene,” he said. “What this means is that we should wash our hands frequently with soap under running water or use hand sanitizers.”
Mass Gatherings in Focus
The Minister paid particular attention to mass gatherings, urging event organizers to provide hand washing stations and hand sanitizers at their venues.
“During mass gatherings, please also practice good hand hygiene,” he said. “And event organizers should provide hand washing stations and hand sanitizers.”
The directive affects religious services, concerts, political rallies, weddings, funerals, and other large public events that remain central to Ghanaian social and cultural life.
Government Preparedness
The Minister concluded by assuring citizens that the government is not relying on luck.
“I would like to use this opportunity to assure everybody that the government is taking all the necessary measures to protect us all,” he said.
While the WHO’s emergency declaration has raised global alarm, Ghanaian authorities are walking a careful line – warning without panicking, preparing without provoking fear.
For now, the message is clear: the risk is low. But washing your hands costs nothing.
Ablakwa promised swift evacuation. Then 800 Ghanaians registered. Now his ministry faces its first major test.
Just days after Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced a comprehensive support package for Ghanaians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa, his ministry has been forced to delay the evacuation, marking the first major test of his leadership in a crisis.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday, May 21, 2026, that the evacuation, originally scheduled to begin on May 21, has been “deferred by a few days” after more than 800 Ghanaians registered with the High Commission in Pretoria seeking repatriation.
The figure far exceeds initial estimates and has overwhelmed planned logistical arrangements.
“Considering the numbers involved and the South African legal conditions that have to be met including mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and flight permits, the planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days,” the ministry said in a press release.
A Promising Start Meets Reality
Earlier this week, Ablakwa, who took office with a reputation as an energetic and outspoken legislator, announced a high-profile support package for evacuees that included a welcome home financial package, transportation assistance, re-integration allowance, free psychosocial support, and entry into a special database for jobs and startup opportunities.
The announcement was widely praised and positioned Ghana as a leader in citizen protection amid a wave of anti-immigrant violence sweeping across South Africa. But the sudden deferral of the evacuation, even if unavoidable, has raised questions about implementation and preparedness.
The Ministry acknowledged that the surge in registrations, coupled with South African legal requirements, created bottlenecks that could not be resolved in time for the planned start date.
Diplomatic Engagement Intensifies
Ghanaian and South African authorities have since agreed on “enhanced and more efficient pre-evacuation modalities to expedite the process,” the statement said, adding that senior government officials on both sides remain actively engaged.
For Ablakwa, who has positioned himself as a vocal advocate for diaspora affairs and consular services, the evacuation represents an early test of his ability to translate political promises into operational reality. The delay, even if temporary, puts him in the difficult position of asking desperate citizens to wait longer while conditions on the ground in South Africa remain dangerous.
The Bigger Picture
The evacuation comes amid escalating xenophobic violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals from across the continent have been targeted by vigilante groups and anti-immigrant protesters. Ghana is among several African nations racing to repatriate citizens.
The Ministry explained that the deferral is measured in days, not weeks, and that “best efforts are being pursued to ensure their safe return home.” It also commended affected nationals for their “remarkable understanding and patience.”
What to Watch
For Ablakwa, the coming days will determine whether the delay is a minor logistical hiccup or the beginning of a more protracted challenge. The government has pledged to keep the public apprised in a “transparent and timely manner,” a commitment that will be tested as anxious families await word.
The minister, who earlier this week welcomed the Church of Scotland’s apology for slavery and renewed Ghana’s call for justice over an attack on its peacekeepers in Lebanon, now faces a more immediate and personal test: getting 800 citizens home safely.
-
Ghana News2 days agoMobile Money Transactions Hit GH¢493.2bn in April, Soldier Killed in Counter-Terrorism Blast, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
-
Global Update2 days agoJust Days Away, GMet Warns Heavy Rains to Intensify in Southern Ghana by Late May
-
Ghana News15 hours agoTikToker Arrested Over Death Threats Against President Mahama, GN Bank’s License Restored, and Other Big Stories in Ghana Today
-
Ghana News2 days agoNewspaper Headlines Today: Thursday, May 21, 2026
-
Ghana News15 hours agoXenophobia in South Africa: Ablakwa’s Foreign Ministry Faces First Major Test
-
Ghana News16 hours ago
Newspaper Headlines Today: Friday, May 22, 2026
-
Ghana News15 hours agoEbola Risk Low, but Ghanaians Told to Wash Hands and Avoid Mass Gatherings
-
Ghana News2 days agoVaccine Institute Boss Sodzi-Tettey Reveals How Mahama Turned $50M Into a Global Health Sovereignty Movement