Leslie Chats with Michael Benhamou: Europe Missing in Action in Hormuz and Energy as a Military Tool

Energy is not just a commodity. In wartime, it is a military capability. In this episode of the Energy Vista podcast, Leslie Palti-Guzman speaks with military expert Michael Benhamou about a dimension of energy security that receives far too little attention: how armed forces think about energy. Their conversation starts in the Strait of Hormuz, where the confrontation between the US and Iran is reshaping the security architecture of the Middle East. They exchange on why has Europe remained largely on the sidelines? Can the US sustain its military presence in the region?  The discussion then turns to the military itself and how the military can secure its energy supply. Modern armed forces require enormous amounts of energy to move troops, operate aircraft and ships, maintain bases, transport supplies and sustain operations. Leslie and Michael discuss why defense may prove to be one of the hardest sectors of the economy to decarbonize. #supplychains #maritimedisruptions #shippingroutes #EnergyVistaPodcast #EnergySecurity #Military #Defense #Hormuz #Geopolitics #Supplysecurity #Oil #Gas #Energy  The introduction is in English, while the conversation is conducted primarily in French. Recorded: October 2, 2026 🎧 Watch & Listen to Energy Vista YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lesliepalti/... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/31WEeRK... 📩 Follow Leslie Palti-Guzman on Substack Analysis on energy, geopolitics, LNG, trade and maritime security: https://lesliepaltiguzman.substack.com/ 📄 Recent Writing The Battle for Hormuz Will Reshape the Global LNG Market — CSIS https://www.csis.org/analysis/battle-... 00:00 La confrontation entre les États-Unis et l'Iran 01:59 Quel est le prix de l'action délayée ? 03:50 Introduction de l'expert militaire Michael Benhamou 05:30 L'exclusion de la France des plans militaires américano-israéliens 07:59 Les contraintes des forces européennes au Moyen-Orient 09:27 Le retrait militaire des États-Unis et ses conséquences stratégiques 12:15 Logistique militaire et stratégies énergétiques