By mid-2012, a company-sized rotation of Marines, between 200-250, will be stationed at an Australian military base in the Northern territory. That will ramp up to a full force of 2,500 Marine personnel as part of a Marine, Air, Ground Task Force
In addition, the US Air Force will be able to use Australian Air Force facilities significantly more than it does now.
This isn't just a Pacific focus. It will allow us to switch forces between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific more easily. The Marines could go north, but they could also go west all the way to the Persian Gulf or eastern Africa.
This greater capacity to move forces will help us as we strengthen relations in Asia:
The U.S. has deepened military ties with Asia in the past year, at once reassuring its partners of its commitment and capitalizing on mutual fears about China's growth. Both sides face a simple truth: They need each other, possibly more than ever.
In Australia, Obama is expected to announce an agreement to allow an expanded U.S. military presence in the country. Earlier this year, the U.S. disclosed plans to deploy military ships to Singapore. And Malaysia has joined two multination military exercises with the U.S. for the first time. ...
In June of this year, then U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said littoral combat ships, small vessels designed to operate close to shore, would be deployed to Singapore. The prosperous city-state sits astride the Straits of Malacca, the strategic waterway through which the majority of Asia's oil imports pass, including those to China and Japan.
For Singapore and Malaysia, knowing American forces aren't very far away in Darwin (and will be in Singapore, too), where more could be funneled through, is very reassuring. Along with our continuing move to beef up Guam by moving forces from Okinawa (which are too close to Chinese missiles and aircraft for comfort), our ability to ride out a Chinese attack without being driven from the western Pacific (for a while) is increased. That confidence in our military presence allows countries to work with our military at the risk of angering China.
I'd think that a Stryker Brigade would be a good addition to this region, too, as the military relationship deepens.
Our ability to rapidly reinforce Australia and project power north and east will complement Australia's future force plans which will help screen Australia at sea and in the air while providing a small but good land force that can be deployed abroad.
Remember, countries in the region want us there (tip to Instapundit):
Much is being made of China's unease at President Obama's initiative this week to raise the U.S. presence in the Pacific Rim. The real story is Asia's unease with China's expansionism. It wants America back.
Beijing was taken by surprise at the U.S. president's newfound interest in making America a presence again in the Pacific.
But in reality it was a sign that Asian states prefer a U.S.-centric Pacific over a China-centric one.
Gosh, it seems like only yesterday that China's fan boys here were going on about how China's soft power was gaining friends at our expense. It seems like only the day before yesterday that people were saying that, naturally, nations would side against us to balance our post-Soviet crack up power dominance. Instead, countries balance China and want our power there to help with the balancing.
We are too distant to be a threat to Asian security and independence (not to mention their freedom--for the democratic countries) the way a nearby and increasingly powerful China is. Also, we are free and content to buy what the region produces while China is a dictatorship that claims land, waters, and resources in the region. Unless we lack the military power or will to lead, that cooperation will continue.
President Obama is doing a good thing here. Have no doubt about it.
