the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
May 18, 2026
The U.S. war with Iran has stranded more than 800 ships in the Persian Gulf. These ships are crewed by more than 20,000 sailors, who are now stuck in what amounts to a vast watery prison.
These sailors make global trade function. Under ordinary conditions, they spend months at a time away from their homes and families for on average about $2000 a month. Almost all of them come from countries that are not directly involved in the war: Bangladesh, the Philippines, Indonesia. The money they send home is often vital for their families’ survival, and for the economies of their home countries.
These sailors are now paying the direct price of this war. About 30 ships have been hit by drones or missiles, and so far, at least ten sailors have died.
On top of the risk of violence, after two months, the sailors trapped in the Persian Gulf are running out of food, water, medications, and other basic supplies. “Day by day, our stock of food and water is depleting,” one sailor told the Wall Street Journal. “I worry for my life … the situation is very bad.”
Some shipping companies are not even paying their trapped sailors—the International Transport Workers Federation reports that they have received about 1000 requests for help over missed pay. Some smaller shipping companies are even threatening bankruptcy—which would leave their sailors completely in the lurch.
Working-class people all over the world, like these sailors and their families, are the ones who pay when the rulers of the world start wars for their own ends.