March 27, 2015
Let’s Lock in the Rebalance to Asia
America’s rebalance to Asia is real today. Whether it endures as a permanent feature of U.S. foreign and defense policy very much depends on the next several years. A bit of money, a lot of strategy, and adroit diplomacy can combine to lock in what should be a lasting pillar of America’s military power and influence.
In 2011, President Obama addressed Australia’s Parliament with words designed to resonate throughout the region. “As we end today’s wars, I have directed my national security team to make our presence and mission in the Asia-Pacific [region] a top priority… As we plan and budget for the future, we will allocate the resources necessary to maintain our strong military presence in this region. We will preserve our unique ability to project power and deter threats to peace… Our enduring interests in the region demand our enduring presence in the region. The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay.”
It was an extraordinary speech that helped quell concerns among allies and partners in Asia that declining U.S. defense spending would reduce America’s military presence there – a presence that is widely considered to be stabilizing in a region experiencing great geopolitical change. Indeed, in recent years, America’s treaty allies and enduring partners in the region have called for more U.S. military presence and interaction, not less.
Read the full article at Defense One.
More from CNAS
-
Defense & Aerospace Air Power Podcast [Jun 26, 25] Season 3 E25: Focus Forward
Podcast
Just when people were saying the future of air power was small, distributed systems like UAVs, the US struck Iran’s nuclear program infrastructure with an old-fashioned manned...
By Stacie Pettyjohn
-
Video
Indo-Pacific Security / Energy, Economics & Security
75 Years Post-Korean War: Can Trust Be Rebuilt Under the New Administration?As President Lee Jae Myung begins his term, he's taking visible steps to reset the tone with North Korea: halting propaganda broadcasts and reemphasizing past military agreeme...
By Dr. Go Myong-Hyun
-
Reports
Indo-Pacific Security / Technology & National Security
Cyber Crossroads in the Indo-PacificThe Indo-Pacific faces a cyber crossroads. Down one path lies deeper military, intelligence, and economic ties between Washington and its key allies and partners in this strat...
By Vivek Chilukuri, Lisa Curtis, Janet Egan, Morgan Peirce, Elizabeth Whatcott & Nathaniel Schochet
-
Commentary
Indo-Pacific Security / Middle East Security
What Happened to the U.S. ‘Asia First’ Doctrine?U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific should observe that the Trump administration’s strategic approach to foreign policy is a moving target....
By Adham Sahloul
