USA TODAY: …“It will take years for these concepts, and many of the investments we are making, to be fully realized,” Panetta said in remarks prepared for delivery at the conference. “But make no mistake, in a steady, deliberate and sustainable way, the United States military is rebalancing and brings enhanced capabilities to this vital region.”
His promises, however, are likely to be met with skepticism from some nations that are aware of the coming budget cuts and have watched the U.S. send the bulk of its military might to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade. The boost in ship presence could increase tensions with China, where leaders have said they are unhappy with any larger U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
A key area of dispute is the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely as its own. But Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines also have territorial claims there. The U.S. has pressed for a diplomatic solution to the disagreements but has also made it clear that freedom of navigation is critical in the region… (more)
