America’s long-promised pivot to Asia was finally gathering momentum — new security deals with the Philippines and India, expanded military exercises, and plans with allies to stay ahead of Chinese technology.
But the Middle East, like a vortex, has pulled Washington back in.
“What concerns us most is the diversion of the U.S. military’s resources from East Asia to Europe, to the Middle East,” Akihisa Nagashima, a lawmaker and former national security adviser in Japan, said at a strategy forum in Sydney, Australia, last week.
“We really hope that conflict is completely finished pretty soon.”American military commanders have said that no equipment has left the Indo-Pacific.
And two top cabinet officials, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, will be crisscrossing Asia this week with messages of reassurance, making stops separately or together in India, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia.
Persons:
Akihisa Nagashima, “, Lloyd J, Austin III, Antony J, Blinken
Organizations:
Pentagon, Defense
Locations:
Asia, Philippines, India, Washington, United States, Beijing, Gaza, Israel, East Asia, Europe, Japan, Sydney, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia