Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Singapore Straits Times
May 30, 2008
Pg. 30
TUMON BAY (GUAM) -- Defence Secretary Robert Gates is on a week-long Asia trip to reinforce the United States' commitment to the region.
He flew into the tiny US territory of Guam in the Pacific yesterday, ahead of an Asian tour featuring an annual regional security conference in Singapore.
He was in Guam to get an update on preparations to move thousands of Marines to the island from Japan.
And today he heads to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue of top officials and experts from the Asia-Pacific, which he will be attending until Sunday before heading to Thailand and South Korea.
His trip comes amid rocky US relations with China, struggles with North Korea, and unease about American priorities among other Asian countries.
Even as the US sends humanitarian aid to cyclone-devastated Myanmar and the earthquake victims in China, Asian nations worry that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have made it difficult for the Pentagon to give the Pacific region the attention it requires.
"Everyone in the region recognises that China is the huge new player in all matters of Asian diplomacy, economics and military interactions," said Mr Kurt Campbell, who heads the Centre for a New American Security.
"The elephant in the room is the anxiety that many Asian nations feel -- that we are preoccupied away from Asia during a period of enormous consequence."
But while Mr Gates has indeed focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this will be his fourth lengthy trip to Asia during his 17 months as Pentagon chief.
It is his second appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
In recent years, his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld had used the forum to air US criticism of China's military build-up and to call for greater transparency by the communist giant.
Mr Gates, however, has been more conciliatory. Senior defence and diplomatic officials travelling with him on Wednesday said China is making slow progress in shedding more light on its massive military expansion.
They also said the Pentagon has taken specific steps this year to make the meeting less confrontational.
Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse
May 30, 2008
Pg. 30
TUMON BAY (GUAM) -- Defence Secretary Robert Gates is on a week-long Asia trip to reinforce the United States' commitment to the region.
He flew into the tiny US territory of Guam in the Pacific yesterday, ahead of an Asian tour featuring an annual regional security conference in Singapore.
He was in Guam to get an update on preparations to move thousands of Marines to the island from Japan.
And today he heads to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue of top officials and experts from the Asia-Pacific, which he will be attending until Sunday before heading to Thailand and South Korea.
His trip comes amid rocky US relations with China, struggles with North Korea, and unease about American priorities among other Asian countries.
Even as the US sends humanitarian aid to cyclone-devastated Myanmar and the earthquake victims in China, Asian nations worry that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have made it difficult for the Pentagon to give the Pacific region the attention it requires.
"Everyone in the region recognises that China is the huge new player in all matters of Asian diplomacy, economics and military interactions," said Mr Kurt Campbell, who heads the Centre for a New American Security.
"The elephant in the room is the anxiety that many Asian nations feel -- that we are preoccupied away from Asia during a period of enormous consequence."
But while Mr Gates has indeed focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this will be his fourth lengthy trip to Asia during his 17 months as Pentagon chief.
It is his second appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
In recent years, his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld had used the forum to air US criticism of China's military build-up and to call for greater transparency by the communist giant.
Mr Gates, however, has been more conciliatory. Senior defence and diplomatic officials travelling with him on Wednesday said China is making slow progress in shedding more light on its massive military expansion.
They also said the Pentagon has taken specific steps this year to make the meeting less confrontational.
Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse