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The Pentagon

Pentagon conducted a supposedly searching

Introduction

review that ignored the most important issue.

conducted a

Indeed, Washington has actually been

supposedly

After World War II the United States estab-

increasing U.S. military ties in the region, push-

searching review

lished an extensive forward military presence

ing a new security agreement with the

and fought two wars in East Asia as part of its

Philippines, for instance, and offering an

that ignored the

strategy for containing communism. The

implicit defense guarantee to Taiwan against

most important

Cold War ended a decade ago, but America's

China. Rather than expand America's military

issue.

defense posture has changed little. The

presence in East Asia at a time when security

Clinton administration is determined to keep

threats against the United States have dramat-

at least 100,000 military personnel in East Asia

ically diminished, the administration and

and the Pacific, apparently forever.

Congress should together initiate a phased

The Pentagon's 1995 assessment of U.S.

withdrawal of American forces from Korea

security policy in East Asia (the so-called Nye

and Japan, center Washington's reduced mili-

Report) made the astonishing assertion that

tary presence in the central Pacific rather than

"the end of the Cold War has not diminished"

East Asia, and adopt the role of ultimate bal-

the importance of any of America's regional

ancer rather than constant meddler.

security commitments.1 Last November the

U.S. Department of Defense released an

Changed Threat

updated report that reflected the same out-

Environment

dated analysis, reaffirming support for every

one of America's treaties and deployments

throughout the region.2

U.S. taxpayers spent roughly $13 trillion (in

current dollars) and sacrificed 113,000 lives

The administration's watchword is simply

(mostly in East Asian wars) to win the Cold

more of everything. America's already sub-

War. For five decades Washington provided a

stantial military ties to Japan and South Korea

defense shield behind which noncommunist

must be strengthened. Loose links with

countries throughout East Asia were able to

Australia, Singapore, and Thailand must be

grow economically (despite their recent set-

expanded. Recently sundered relationships

backs) and democratically. That policy

with New Zealand and the Philippines must

achieved its objective. Japan is the world's sec-

be rebuilt. Minimal to nonexistent coopera-

ond-ranking economic power; Taiwan's dra-

tion with such countries as Cambodia, Laos,

matic jump from poverty to prosperity forced

Mongolia, and Vietnam must be invigorated

the leaders of the communist mainland to

or initiated. DOD gives a nod to multilateral-

undertake fundamental economic reforms.

ism and cooperation among the countries in

South Korea now outstrips communist North

the region, but it is clear that the United States

Korea on virtually every measure of national

is to remain East Asia's dominant actor.3 And

power. After years of failure, the Philippines

that dominance must be demonstrated in mil-

seems to be on the path to prosperity, while

itary terms. Explains the Pentagon, "Today we

the economies of countries like Thailand have

must deter actions in critical localized areas

grown significantly and will eventually recover

such as the Korean Peninsula while maintain-

from their current travails.

ing our capability to respond to crises should

At the same time, the threat environment

they emerge anywhere around the world."4

has become more benign. The Soviet Union

The report's commitment to permanent,

has disappeared, and a much weaker Russia

promiscuous intervention was preordained.

has neither the capability nor the will for East

Secretary of Defense William Cohen admitted,

Asian adventurism. Elsewhere, tough-minded

"When I first took over, I said everything is on

communism has dissolved into a cynical

the table for review, except we are going to

excuse for incumbent officeholders to main-

keep 100,000 people in the Asia-Pacific

tain power. A decade after the Tiananmen

region--that is off the table."5 In short, the

2