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January 11, 2012 - 05:32 PM continued.... The 12-page strategic document outlining the new U.S. military strategy said the “maintenance of peace, stability, the free flow of commerce, and of U.S. influence in this dynamic region will depend in part on an underlying balance of military capability and deterrence.” The document said the U.S. would continue to project power despite anti-access and area-denial threats from “states such as China and Iran,” which includes cyber warfare, ballistic and cruise missiles and advanced air defenses. Lumping China together with Iran, top U.S. military officials emphasized they are not going to be abandoning the Middle East with the end of the Iraq war and a drawdown in Afghanistan. The U.S. also has a watchful eye on another country in East Asia that could upend security: North Korea. But with budget cuts on the horizon, the focus on Asia and the Middle East will come at the expense of other regions. While the Pentagon is waiting until the budget comes out in a few weeks to get into specifics, defense analysts expect European U.S. military presence in particular will be reduced. The Pentagon’s policy document said the drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan has created an opportunity to “rebalance the U.S. military investment in Europe.” continue next page |