By AARON MEHTA
WASHINGTON — As the United States sharpens its focus on the Asia-Pacific, it is becoming increasingly reliant on regional partners — something made more difficult by geopolitical realities in the region.
Unlike in Europe, where NATO provides an organizing body, the powers in the Pacific are largely united only through bilateral agreements. For the US strategy in the region to succeed, the Pentagon needs to make sure disparate allies such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and Singapore can operate together.
The US views large-scale training exercises as a key way to build interoperability among the various Pacific powers.
While Red Flag-Alaska 13 was allowed to continue last year, funding shortfalls canceled or curtailed US involvement in exercises with Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, which Air Force Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, commander of US Pacific Air Forces, acknowledged has left some partner nations wary of the US commitment to the region.
“That was very concerning amongst our friends, partners and allies. If there is any angst out here, it is the budget situation we are facing, the rebalance of the Pacific, and given the fiscal constraints that the US has if we are going to be able to follow through on that.”
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