Reaffirming U.S. commitment to Asia<\/p>\n
By Ralph A. Cossa<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): The recently completed U.S Defense
\nDepartment's Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) has once again
\nconfirmed the importance of the presence of U.S. forces in Asia
\nto America's global security strategy.<\/p>\n
That strategy, as outlined in the QDR, has three main
\nelements: to shape the international environment by promoting
\nstability, preventing conflict, and deterring aggression; to
\nrespond quickly to a full spectrum of crises; and to prepare to
\nmeet the security challenges of an unpredictable future.<\/p>\n
According to U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen, the
\ncontinued deployment of around 100,000 U.S. forces in Asia is
\ncritical to achieving all three tasks.<\/p>\n
Cohen recently provided an overview of the QDR at the Center
\nfor Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington to
\nmembers of an international working group on confidence and
\nsecurity building measures (CSBM) organized by the multinational,
\nnon-governmental Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia
\nPacific (CSCAP).<\/p>\n
Cohen assured the working group participants from 16 Asia-
\nPacific nations that the Pentagon's focused modernization effort
\nto meet tomorrow's challenges would not be undertaken at the
\nexpense of continued American engagement in Asia today and in the
\nfuture. The U.S. benefits from this presence, he said, as do all
\nnations in the region.<\/p>\n
Acknowledging the presence of CSCAP representatives from North
\nKorea, Cohen said the U.S. military sees itself as a force for
\npeace and stability on the Peninsula, even though it remains
\nprepared to deal with undesirable contingencies if the current
\nmomentum toward peaceful dialog is not sustained.<\/p>\n
Cohen, in response to a question about the QDR's impact on
\nAsia, said the modest additional force cuts proposed in the QDR
\n(from 1.42 million to 1.36 million active duty military
\npersonnel) would have little impact on the forces deployed to
\nAsia or on America's ability to respond to crises in Asia or
\nelsewhere.<\/p>\n
While the bulk of U.S. forces in Asia are concentrated in
\nNortheast Asia, Cohen noted the importance of Southeast Asia
\ntoday and in the future. He highly praised the positive,
\nproductive, and steadily improving military relations the U.S.
\nenjoys with Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
As a U.S. Senator, Cohen is among the best informed of his
\ncolleagues on Southeast Asia and has frequently visited the
\nregion. He has clearly carried that appreciation of Southeast
\nAsia with him to the Pentagon.<\/p>\n
This is not expected to be translated into a U.S. quest for
\nnew bases in Southeast Asia; the current strategy of \"places not
\nbases\" -- i.e., of enhanced access, greater cooperation, and
\nperiodic deployments and visits versus more fixed facilities --
\nis likely to be sustained.<\/p>\n
But ASEAN nations should receive greater recognition and
\nappreciation for their collective role as a stabilizing political
\nas well as an economic force, and greater defense cooperation
\nbetween the U.S. and individual ASEAN states should enjoy a
\nhigher priority during Cohen's tenure as Secretary of Defense.<\/p>\n
Secretary Cohen also stressed the continued importance of the
\nU.S.-Japan relationship as the foundation of the U.S. presence in
\nAsia and pledged to continue to build upon this vital
\nrelationship.<\/p>\n
Noting the presence of Chinese military officers participating
\nin the CSCAP meeting, he said China had also benefited from the
\nstability provided by the U.S.-Japan alliance and the presence of
\nU.S. forces in Japan and elsewhere. (As a so-called \"track two\"
\nnon-governmental organization, CSCAP encourages the participation
\nof government -- including active duty military -- officials in
\nits meetings, \"in their private capacities\".)<\/p>\n
Cohen's decision to discuss confidence building measures in
\npresenting his views on the QDR to an international audience at
\nthe CSCAP meeting is also significant. In addition to
\nunderscoring his personal interest in Asia, it also signals a
\ncontinued defense department commitment to both official and non-
\ngovernmental multilateral security dialog, as a useful complement
\nto America's bilateral defense arrangements.<\/p>\n
This commitment was further reinforced by the Pentagon's top
\nAsia policy maker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia, Dr.
\nKurt Campbell, during his keynote address to the CSCAP General
\nMembership Meeting in Singapore on June 4. Campbell highlighted
\nimproved relations with Southeast Asia, and increased involvement
\nin support for multilateral security dialog initiatives as two
\nprimary defense department objectives.<\/p>\n
Concerns had been expressed in many quarters in Asia that the
\nQDR would result in a weakened U.S. commitment and reduce the
\npresence of U.S. forces in Asia. Instead, the QDR in general and
\nSecretary Cohen in particular have reemphasized the growing
\nimportance of the Asia-Pacific region to the U.S. and the U.S.
\nintention to remain fully engaged in Asia today, even as it
\nrefocuses its efforts to better prepare for the challenges of the
\n21st Century.<\/p>\n
The writer is Executive Director of the Pacific Forum CSIS, a
\nHonolulu-based, nonprofit research institute affiliated with the
\nCenter for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He
\nco-chairs the CSCAP CSBM Working Group. The Pacific Forum is a
\nfounding member.<\/p>",
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