America's rebalance towards Asia has many talking. The U.S. Navy will be at the forefront of such efforts. Adm. Locklear gives us his take.
As the United States military’s most important and largest overseas command, U.S. Pacific Command, otherwise known as PACOM, covers a jurisdiction that is half the Earth’s surface, 50 per cent of the world’s population and has one-fifth of the U.S. military’s total strength under its command. PACOM Commander, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, spoke to Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe on what the upgraded U.S. presence in the region will imply, including initiatives to neutralize the growing transnational challenges like violent extremism; the impact of the pivot on relations with Indonesia and Indochina; and, importantly, the likely reverberations for U.S.-China relations.
When you say that the U.S. is rebalancing towards the Asia-Pacific, what was different about the activities of PACOM prior to the global war on terrorism?
Admiral Locklear: After the end of World War II and before 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States had a continual presence in the Asia-Pacific. This presence enabled the growth and sustainment of a secure environment that I believe engendered economic prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. It also facilitated the rise of competent militaries that are participating broadly in the security environment today.
Before 9/11, much of the resources of the U.S. military were dedicated to ongoing operations in the Asia- Pacific. Although we did pivot away from the Asia-Pacific for over ten years, we still had assets dedicated to combat operations in the region.
When you say "rebalancing", what precisely do you mean?
Admiral Locklear: U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan is coming to a close, and President Obama and the Secretary of Defense are looking to the future at what our defense force will look like post-Afghanistan and our global priorities. They recognize that the most significant national interest of the United States, and the interests of five of our seven allies and emerging partners, lies here in the Asia- Pacific.
Through rebalancing in the next few years, we want to have the right forces in the right mix in the right places in the Asia-Pacific, so that peace and security can continue to prosper in this region.The U.S. forces operating in this region, both rotational and forward stationed, are crucial to our strategy in this part of the world and ensure we have the right formal presence and are ready to provide the right assistance to our allies and partners.
At some level we are providing the right level of deterrence so we can ensure peace and security in the region. This is a continuum of our security role in northeast Asia, which is still a critical element of the overall PACOM strategy, and it will require us to take a different view of how we operate with our allies and partners and how we rotate our forces in and out with our partners and allies in several locations. For instance, in Australia we have been pursuing the cooperation between our Marine Corps and the Australian forces, specifically in Darwin. That is a good example of how we are working differently in the region in positioning ourselves to build a better collective security environment.
The United States puts together a calendar of events where countries with whom we have ongoing dialogue come together. These events include dialogue at the chiefs of defense level and at lower tiers. There can be dozens of such events and they extend from high-level talks to individual unit exercises. We host an annual Chief of Defense conference one year in Hawaii and co-host it another year in another country. In 2012, we co-hosted the conference with Australia in Sydney. We invited the Chiefs of Defense from most of the countries in this region, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, France, and the United Kingdom, to get together and have frank discussions on their security interests. These are the type of discussions that help with commerce and lead to peace. When these don’t occur that’s when we have problems.
We are trying to build mutual trust and figure out areas of shared interests. There are real opportunities for us to build bilateral and multilateral relationships with all these countries so everyone can be a productive participant in the security environment. That’s all the way from the United States to China to Australia to India. Think about it, a peaceful security environment means prosperity for all. That may sound simplistic, but I think it can be realized in the Asia-Pacific because of the nature and maturity of the countries here and what they can build if they work together.
Photo Credit: U.S. PACOM (Flickr)
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Russ
That the US navy/coast gaurd is involved in the stupid war on drugs is an outrageous use of tax payers money and lives: "As it enters its fifth decade, that the American War on Drugs has failed is no longer in question. The addiction rate at the outset of Nixon's all-out offensive – 1.3% – has remained the same despite spending more than $1.5 trillion since 1971. More striking than the financial costs have been the broad societal implications: an erosion of our civil liberties; a withered ability to police violent crime; and an outright dismissal of many of the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution.
captainjohann
@John Chan, It is not only USA which devastated Vietnam but also China which invaded that war weary country to teach a lesson. Again China clobberred all its claim lands in India by invading it when US/soviet Union were eye ball to eye ball.Today you are the only Economy which is growing at 9% and you are justifiably proud of it.But you have claims over Indian lands which has no definite maps, claims over Vietnam,Philipines and ofcourse Japan in south China sea.In fact your country's Militarism is fuelling the insecurity in ASEAN, INDIAN subcontinet that they are forced to spend on arms and depend on the Global Imperialist power USA.
falkiarch
I totally agree with Capt. Johann.
falkiarch
EVERYONE!
We shall get together and prepare for worst and future challenges until now never been combated and sometimes surprised and unreadiness when occurs like Economic Crisis, Pandemic, AIDS, Famine, Natural Disasters, Global Warming, Climate Change etc…
For me SECURITY concern and management of it shall be from ASIA, but the Big Brothers of ASIA shall be FAIR & JUST to all Nations of Asia, "NO BULLYING, NO INTIMIDATION, NO THREATS & SHARE for common Goodness, Interests and "HUGE RESOURCES" to grow more and help the WORLD ECONOMY further it's recovery will save the US & EUROPE from their Military Expenditures for Policing Asia and utilize their saving to enhance their economies: (Extremism Islamism, Seccessionism was not on security threat if there's a good & professional MILITARY Power and Social Freedom, Equality & Justice)
A summary suggestion for Countries:
China :
BUILD Middle Class Society "STOP Bullying", be a real Leader and act like a real "TA GE" (BIG BROTHER) "Be a nice Brother and not be scared by your little brothers of Nations. Agree to International LAWS and solve the boundary disputes like mostly Modern Society of Nations.
Japan:
START Building A "STRONG" Army for be one of the Security Leader in ASIA
India:
Alleviate People from Poverty, Solve the Pakistan Rifts peacefully
ASEAN
Shall be "Stronger TIES" Economically, Culturally and Build a Common DEFENSE that will play role in Security also
US & EUROPE
Focus on rebuilding it's Economy.
falkiarch
On HUGE RESOURCES of ASIA shall be "SHARED Equally"
Kanes
Honest answers by the Admiral.
db
could you have made the interview any easier for him? You should have asked tougher questions
Bankotsu
Vietnam bids to join SCO
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2681358.ece