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| Admiral Scott Swift (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Dan Lamothe
The Navy’s top admiral in the Pacific said Tuesday that there is a “palpable sense” in the region that “might makes right” has taken root as a philosophy — and he warned that the present chaos in the Middle East, eastern Europe and northern Africa may be an example of what the future could hold.
Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, said at a maritime conference in Australia that both the acceleration of military activities in the region and the lack of transparency about them are concerns, according to a copy of the remarks provided by his staff. He called for Pacific nations to adhere to longstanding rules in the region that have been a “gold standard” for avoiding conflict.
Swift also underscored the importance of freedom of navigation operations, which the United States runs across the world to demonstrate that international waterways are open to all. In recent months, the Pentagon has carried out two such missions in the South China Sea and encouraged partners in the region to do the same. That has angered China, which has boosted its military presence there with radar, surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets and said that the United States should not interfere.
Read the full story at The Washington Post