“Blood and treasure”: America’s claim to the Pacific

Sec. of Defense Gates speaking at the “Shangri-La Dialogue” on Asia Pacific Security evoked the old argument for America’s claim to the entire Pacific region: “blood and treasure”:

America has paid a significant price in blood and treasure to fight aggression, deter potential adversaries, extend freedom, and maintain peace and prosperity in this part of the world. We have done so over many generations and across many presidential administrations. Our commitment to the region is just as strong today as it has ever been – if not stronger since our own prosperity is increasingly linked with yours.

Blood and treasure was one of the reasons cited after WWII for the Pacific to be treated differently than other regions of the world. While the world community denounced imperialism and colonialism as root causes of wars and called for decolonization through an internationally mediated process, the Pacific was treated differently.

The U.S. wanted to have exclusive control over the Pacific because it had spent so much blood and treasure “liberating” the Pacific from the Japanese, and because the Pacific was seen as an integrated strategic area for maintaining America’s security. This is why there were “strategic trusts” created for the Pacific islands where the US maintained control over the process of transition from Japanese colonialism to self-determination. Of course, the US had no intentions of letting these islands become truly independent and made every effort to stunt their development and maintain their dependency on the US in order for the US to maintain a military base network that blanketed the Pacific.

The Pacific is increasingly becoming the strategic center of gravity for the US and the other regional powers. Here’s a quote from Gates’ speech:

So, in the central and western Pacific, we are actually increasing our military presence, with new air, naval, and marine assets based over the horizon in Guam and throughout the region – prepared as always to respond to a number of contingencies, natural or man-made.

It is time to rethink the whole meaning of the Pacific region: “American Lake” or “Ka Moana Nui” (The great ocean that connects the Oceanic nations, a term the developed out of the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific movement and other Pacific peoples’ struggles for freedom and justice.)

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Sat, 30 May 2009 21:49:00 -0500

Gates Outlines Administration’s Asia Security Strategy

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

SINGAPORE, May 30, 2009 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates opened the “Shangri-La Dialogue” Asia security summit here today outlining a broad set of regional security issues and promising continued support from the U.S. administration.

The annual conference gathers defense, senior military and other officials from across the region to discuss mutual security challenges.

“America has paid a significant price in blood and treasure to fight aggression, deter potential adversaries, extend freedom, and maintain peace and prosperity in this part of the world,” Gates said. “Our commitment to the region is just as strong today as it has ever been, if not stronger, since our own prosperity is increasingly linked with yours.”

Gates said the challenge now is to fashion defense policies that adapt to the new realities of the region. He cited the long-standing treaties with Japan and South Korea, both formed in the early years of the Cold War “when both nations were impoverished and virtually destroyed.” Now, Gates said, the countries are economic powerhouses with modern, well-trained and well-equipped military forces.

“They are more willing and able to take responsibility for their own defense and assume responsibility for security beyond their shores,” Gates said.

As a result, the United States is making adjustments in its policies to maintain a posture that is more like that of a partner, Gates said. South Korea will take the lead role in its own defense in 2012. The U.S. military presence in the Pacific is growing, Gates added, noting increased relationships with India and China.

The secretary said the changes represent a shift in the defense strategy in the region, placing more emphasis on building the capacity of its allies and less on solely conventional military deterrence. The shift will represent a more balanced mix of “soft” and “hard” power, he added, with military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian elements integrated seamlessly.

“It is an approach intended to further strengthen and deepen security in the Pacific Rim through maintaining our robust military presence, but also through strengthened and deepened partnerships,” Gates said.

The secretary noted the unity in the global responses to the economic crisis, the threat of a pandemic flu and piracy. Despite occasional differences of opinion, he said, nations overall have come together to develop unified responses.

Gates said that stronger relationships among countries in the region are the key to facing security challenges such as piracy, weapons proliferation and terrorism, and that the U.S. administration promises a more collaborative and consultative foreign policy.

“What these challenges all have in common is that they simply cannot be overcome by one, or even two countries, no matter how wealthy and powerful,” Gates said. “While the United States has unparalleled capabilities, we also recognize that the best solutions require multiple nations acting with uncommon unity.”
Related Sites:

Speech Transcript

The Shangri-La Dialogue

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