U.S. Military

Japan’s defense ministry took a chance opting for the F-35 stealth fighter to replace its aging fleet. But soaring costs could undermine one of America’s closest alliances.

Hillary Clinton’s visit to the Middle East was aimed at tackling Iran and Syria. But was she too aggressive?

The U.S. Navy is set to shrink. Can it meets its goal of a pivot in response to China’s growing military power?

Welcome to the first issue of The Week in Asia. Every weekend, The Diplomat will be rounding up the Asia-Pacific news, research and commentary that you may have missed.

If the U.S. wants a secure Afghanistan it must leave some troops past 2014, and help develop the economy.

The term “arms race” is overused. But China and India are spending more even as their GDP growth falls.

Russia is playing a careful balancing game in Central Asia – stirring up worries about the U.S. military presence is just part of the game.

The U.S. may have indicated it is pivoting to the Asia-Pacific. But Asian allies worry about its commitment.

Europe accounts for a fraction of Taiwan’s defense import needs. Expect things to stay that way.

The U.S. says it needs ballistic missile defenses to fend off the threat of Iran. But is it creating more problems?

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces performed admirably after last year’s tsunami. Expect a more confident force to play a growing role in disaster response.

ASEAN’s failure to find a common identity is disappointing – and leaves members hostages to problems.