Re-Shaping the US-Japanese Relationship for the “Dynamic Defense” of Japan

09/30/2012
2012-09-30 By Richard Weitz During the Cold War, the core bargain was that the United States would defend Japan against external attack while the Japanese government would contribute to its immediate self-defense and offer generous financial and other support, including hosting U.S. military facilities on Japanese territory. American strategists consider…

US Military Presence and the “Dynamic Defense” of Japan

09/30/2012
2012-09-30 By Richard Weitz Although the Japanese-U.S. security relationship has evolved considerably since the end of the Cold War, the fundamental bargain enshrined in their mutual security treaty has remained. The United States will defend Japan from external aggression while the Japanese will facilitate this process by hosting U.S. military…

The Challenge of Persistent Presence in the Pacific: An Interview with Lt. General Robling

09/29/2012
2012-09-29 In an interview with Second Line of Defense, the highest ranking Marine in the Pacific discussed the challenges facing the United States as it reset policies in the Pacific. In the interview,Lt. General Terry “Guts” Robling, Commander, USMC Forces Pacific, focused on the key contribution of the USN-USMC team…

Geography, Presence and a 21st Century Pacific Strategy

09/29/2012
2012-09-29 By Robbin Laird As the United States and its allies deal with the various challenges in the Pacific, including enhanced PRC capabilities and assertiveness, geography has a significant impact. As Robert Kaplan has recently underscored, geography remains significant as an explainer for the world’s conflicts as well as bounding…

An Update on the Taliban Attack at Camp Bastion: UK Provided Perimeter Security

09/25/2012
Camp Bastion perimeter security was being provided by the UK the evening of the attack.  And the Taliban attack itself is detailed in a BBC story which is well worth reading. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19704620 According to this story: Bastion is one of the biggest camps in Afghanistan - its perimeter is 37km…

China and Conflict in the Pacific

09/25/2012
2012-09-25 Richard Weitz has brought the following interview to the attention of the Second Line of Defense team. In this interview, a Chinese expert underscores the potential impact of the first Chinese aircraft carrier on PRC operations in the Pacific. Naval expert Li Jie said that China's first aircraft carrier,…