Indo-Pacific

Kadena Air Base, Okinawa

Okinawa Is Still Strategically Important

Okinawa isn’t in the news nearly as much as it was some year’s back, when most reporting focused on noisy protest groups demanding United States’ military forces leave. The Japanese government sometimes even seemed to wish the Americans might go away and only return when needed.  Times have changed. Nowadays the …

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Newport News shipbuilding

America Must Boost Sealift Capability

Logistics is America’s Achilles heel in the Indo-Pacific region.  If the United States is to fight and win a Pacific War with China – a war that seems increasingly imaginable over the coming decade – then it must ensure its military sealift system is up to the challenge of great-power …

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PLAN aircraft carrier

5 Steps the US Must Take to Deter a War with China

he United States faces an unveiled threat from China. Beijing has made clear, in its public pronouncements and its strategic doctrine, that it seeks to conquer Taiwan and engorge the whole of the Western Pacific, ultimately bending Asia’s political structures to its will. The U.S., and the world at large, would be far …

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Indian army rajput regiment

America’s Bad Bet on India

For the past two decades, Washington has made an enormous bet in the Indo-Pacific—that treating India as a key partner will help the United States in its geopolitical rivalry with China. From George W. Bush onward, successive U.S. presidents have bolstered India’s capabilities on the assumption that doing so automatically …

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ointly training: JASDF F15 fighter (three in the foreground) and US military F16 fighter on June 7, 2022.

Japan’s National Defense: What You Need to Know

Someone asked me a few questions about Japan’s national defense the other day. As expected, I gave my take on each one. Meanwhile, others might be just as curious about the current status of Japan’s preparedness. If so, then this is what you need to know: 1. What is motivating Japan and …

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Kuala Lumpur Skyline

Huawei hasn’t Won the 5G Race: A Case Study of 5G Competition in Malaysia

On September 28th, 2022, Malaysia and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on digital communications cooperation with regard to 5G, paving the road for future joint initiatives between the two states on sharing best practices, experience and expertise. While Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdulla noted that Huawei would “manage the …

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Chinese hypersonic gliding vehicle project

Hypersonic Capabilities and Allies

The United States must accelerate hypersonic development and deployment. To do so it should turn to its allies, particularly Australia, and leverage the connections under the AUKUS Pact to intensify testing, expand production capacity and ensure American-allied interoperability. Indeed, the U.S. has a unique chance, through its alliance relationships, to …

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Taiwanese President Lin Chuan

Will the U.S. Really Defend Taiwan?

Taiwan’s ruling party has a new leader, and the change bodes ill for peace in the Indo-Pacific. Vice President Lai Ching-te, a staunch proponent of the island’s independence, took over chairmanship of the Democratic Progressive Party last week from President Tsai Ing-wen. She stepped down as party leader after the …

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China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill of Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy in the western Pacific Ocean, April 18, 2018

Building Up the Chinese PLA: A Team Effort

A former US Marine fighter pilot is awaiting extradition from Australia to the United States. He’s charged with helping the Chinese PLA learn naval flight operations from 2009-2012. It’s against the law to export such defense know-how without a license. If the charges are true, he really shouldn’t have done this – …

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