Manoj Ambat's Blog dealing with Defence, Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs and Politics

Image credits- United States Navy Source- The Diplomat Author- Prashanth Parameswaran Underestimating the United States commitment in Asia would be a “severe miscalculation,” one of America’s top defense official for Asia warned Tuesday in a speech in Washington, D.C. “U.S. commitment to Asia should not be underestimated, and to do so would be a severe miscalculation,” Abraham Denmark, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, told an audience at The Heritage Foundation, a D.C.-based think tank. As part of its rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, Denmark said the Obama administration has been solidifying alliances, deepening key partnerships, strengthening institutions and promoting strong trade and investment links in the region over the past years. Recent initiatives, from the inking of a new U.S.-ASEAN strategic partnership to the unveiling of the new Maritime Security Initiative, were proof of America’s commitment to the region (See: “US, ASEAN t

USS Carl Vinson ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Lt.Mitchell, United States Navy) Source- The National Interest Authors- J.Randy Forbes, Jim Talent The Obama administration’s “rebalance” to the Pacific is manifestly failing to prevent Chinese expansionism.  The reason is that China’s rapid military buildup is shifting the regional balance of power in their direction.  Until the United States and its partners reinforce their own position in the region, China will continue its coercive tactics in the East and South China Seas, increasing the risk of armed conflict, and undermining both the rights of neighboring countries and the vital interests of the United States.      The entire world has now heard of China’s actions across seven islets and reefs in the South China Sea and its ongoing conversion of those features into military installations.  But that is just the latest in a series of aggressive Chinese actions over the last several years.  In 2012, Chinese