Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-releases-few-details-after-months-long-review-global-posture-2021-11-29/
On Monday, a 10-month review summarized into a report on the Pentagon’s strategy was published to the public, however, many critical details were left as confidential. The report concluded that President Joe Biden and his administration could possibly be shifting in the US’s global military position, with reanalysis of military allies and long-term goals.
The Biden administration believes this move is critical to move away from the Trump Administration’s handling of military and international issues, specifically regarding what they believe was Trump’s reckless decision-making that blindsided US officials and foreign allies.
The report also included a call to improve military infrastructure in Guam and Australia and moving away from the Middle East to East Asia, as the United States’ focuses on limiting Chinese dominance in the region.
This new strategy of the United States clearly highlights a movement towards East Asia. Firstly, improving our infrastructure in Australia and Guam will give a strategical advantage in the Pacific, a region that is inching closer towards conflict with China encroaching onto the South China Sea, land disputes, and North Korea increasing its nuclear arsenal and testing. Also, as the world moves towards green energy, oil is becoming less relevant, therefore, the Middle East is also becoming a less relevant region in the United States’ foreign affairs. This will mark a huge shift in the United States’ geopolitical strategy for decades to come. Likely, the United States will make a slow withdrawal from the Middle East similar to Afghanistan and begin stationing more troops in Japan, South Korea, Philippines, and Taiwan.
A realist approach to the United States’ decision would be that protecting allies in the Middle East no longer serves the United States’ interest of economic hegemony, therefore the United States will retreat from the region. Also, as East Asia holds technological economic centers that could greatly benefit the United States’ economy, it will now involve itself in that region to maximize profits. A liberal theorist would argue that the United States would move military bases out of the Middle East because its allies will continue to help them in the region without the need of US military presence, while China now is becoming the greatest threat to democracy therefore they should move their resources to democratize East Asia.