Asia Pacific Defense Forum Fall 2002

We must continually reassure 43 countries and 20 territories of our capacity and interest to fulfill our security commitments. The Asia-Pacific region is susceptible to large-scale military competition. Maintaining stability and balance remains a key objective and a complicated one. We must anticipate, recognize, and respond to aggression at the earliest stages. Lastly, deterring and defeating aggression will require well-placed forward-deployed forces that can swiftly employ their capabilities.

We accomplish these goals by promoting security cooperation with friends and allies. We will continue to meet, discuss, develop, plan, and train with our allies to improve our collective capability to meet regional security requirements.

To achieve regional security, we must improve the exchange of information and intelligence sharing and enhance military-to-military engagements and exchanges. Ours is an expansive region where responses to crises must be timely and well coordinated. Planning, rehearsing, and testing our methods of response are crucial to real-world success. In this issue of Asia-Pacific Defense FORUM, you can read about multilateral exercises such as RIM OF THE PACIFIC (RIMPAC) 2002, PEACE SUPPORT Command Post Exercise, and COOPERATION AFLOAT READINESS AND TRAINING (CARAT). You will also find a piece on BALANCE IROQUOIS 2002 that highlights an excellent bilateral exercise between India and the U.S. Finally, a report from the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies’ 3rd Biennial Conference reveals important considerations for our way ahead.

RIMPAC 2002 is our major maritime exercise involving the U.S. and six other nations. It illustrates how the Asia-Pacific region employs a multilateral training model for maritime operations. RIMPAC offers nations on the Pacific Rim an opportunity to test the plans and execution of critical missions. This year’s exercise included Vandal anti-ship missile exercises, anti-submarine warfare, an amphibious assault, and minesweeping. The participants and observers reported the exercise a resounding success, providing all with an opportunity to learn about these types of missions and witness a major exercise involving diverse nations working toward common ends.

PEACE SUPPORT is another example of what cooperation and focus can accomplish. When peacekeeping operations first occurred more than 50 years ago, they looked very different than they do today. More often than not, agreements were formally reached between antagonists, then peacekeepers assisted in facilitating those pacts. But we all recognize that the face of conflict continually changes, and exercises like PEACE SUPPORT are the best way leaders can adapt to planning and executing requirements for future operations. One challenge for planners of such exercises is to contemplate — and simulate — formerly inconceivable possibilities and then stretch and stress participants. PEACE SUPPORT does just that — and effectively.

I had a chance to witness CARAT 2002 this year. CARAT allows the U.S. — through a series of bilateral exercises — to reaffirm its commitment to regional security. Built on realistic threat scenarios, CARAT provides many possibilities for multinational cooperation. The well-planned and well-executed CARAT events reinforce our efforts to develop our forward deployed assets. The article details the success of the many military activities engaged in throughout Southeast Asia.

BALANCE IROQUOIS is a good illustration of the success of bilateral exercises, in this case, involving India and the U.S. President Bush characterizes India as a "natural ally" with the U.S. Our two nations share a promising partnership in economic, technological, and military spheres. BALANCE IROQUOIS 2002 afforded both countries’ forces a chance to develop and execute combined operations, employing weapons, day and night airborne operations, tactical movement and battle drills, and special operations skills. Even the article that appears in this issue was a cooperative effort!

I had the pleasure of speaking to the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies’ (APCSS) 3rd Biennial Conference attendees in July 2002. In this issue of the FORUM, you will have a chance to review the conference’s findings.

Conferences such as this one reveal the important contribution APCSS has made toward regional security. The APCSS plays a key role in our approach to regional security in two ways. First, by building relationships and enhancing mutual understanding, the center plows the ground and sows the seeds of future multilateral cooperation. Second, in its courses and conferences, the center provides a unique venue for officials from all our countries to meet and share perspectives and consider alternatives for a better, more secure, friendlier region.

In the many areas where our interests converge, we can — and must — conduct multilateral efforts for our mutual benefit. Coalition or combined forces are essential for many important missions — like humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and peacekeeping — that limit the potential for instability in the region brought about by transnational threats. This issue of FORUM illustrates how the roles of multinational exercises and forums serve as mechanisms for facilitating the relationships, coordination, and training necessary for combined or coalition operations. Such operations succeed when teamwork, trust, and skill are applied together — by all concerned.