Moving the Throttle Forward in the Pacific

I have been privileged to serve in the Pacific before. But now, from my vantage point as commander of U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), I have gained a fuller appreciation for the vibrancy, diversity, and complexity of the Asia-Pacific. You can sense the optimism among the regions 43 nations. I also see a region with security challenges, where the U.S. military continues to play an indispensable role in preserving stability. But in the main, I judge the future as one in which opportunity outweighs risk. In this article, I convey my sense of the area of responsibility both the challenges and opportunities. I am proud to lead the men and women of USPACOM as we work--along with the interagency and allies and partners--to help shape a bright future for the nations and people of the Asia-Pacific. U.S. Pacific Command capabilities have facilitated the region's recovery from multiple crises--from major wars to natural disasters--by establishing conditions of security and stability. Security and stability have been at the foundation of the economic boom in the Pacific, particularly over the last three decades. Since World War II, Japan, South Korea, India, and now China have joined the United States at the top of the list of the world's largest economies. Among the leaders of the Pacific, there is unquestionably a sense of enormous potential for continued economic growth. At the same time, more and more regional countries see the value of fostering mutual security through cooperative approaches between nations and their militaries. USPACOM welcomes this shared sense of responsibility for meeting mutual security goals. As such, the command is actively pursuing military-to-military activities within existing bilateral frameworks, while encouraging more multilateral venues and supporting the development of new strategic partnerships. These efforts are vital to our security, compatible with our national interests, and beneficial to the entire Asia-Pacific region. Published in Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ), n47 p57-59, 4th quarter 2007.