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Adm. Dennis C. Blair tries out Cambodia Mine Action Center (simulated) demining procedures at Siem Reap, Cambodia, 14 January 2001. |
I have used this foreword to speak about the benefits of "enhanced regional cooperation," and of forming "security communities" for mutual good in Asia and the Pacific. While these concepts are not fully implemented, it is evident that similar ideas throughout the region are taking hold, and in many cases are moving from formulation to execution.
In this issue, you can see that 33 countries were represented at the Pacific Armies Management Seminar in Japan. Eighteen countries participated in the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team in the Philippines. Seventeen countries attended the Peacekeeping Operations Seminar in Bangladesh and the Southeast Asia Peace Operations Seminar in Thailand, respectively. Mongolia joined 11 nations for the first time in the CENTRASBAT exercise. Many countries were involved in recent flood relief operations in Vietnam. And no doubt a future issue of this magazine will cover the many nations that have assisted with relief efforts to counter the terrible Bhuj earthquake in India.
Some actions will probably always remain bilateral endeavors. Examples within include the fleet exchange between the U.S. and China, and the Coast Guard agreement between the Philippines and the U.S. But more and more events are evolving into multinational ones, such as exercise COBRA GOLD — last year with Thailand, Singapore, and the U.S. — this year to be realistically linked with many other exercises and countries under the umbrella of exercise TEAM CHALLENGE.
As we adjust to the geopolitical, technological, and budgetary changes of the 21st century, all our armed forces must be encouraged in their efforts to try new ways of doing business together in the area of mutual security. A century ago, American Rear Adm. Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote:
...changes in tactics have not only taken place after changes in weapons... but the interval between such changes has been unduly long. An improvement of weapons is due to the energy of one or two men, while changes in tactics have to overcome the inertia of a conservative class.
Changes in attitude are similar. The armed forces of the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. included, need to avoid becoming a conservative class that is afraid to work together in areas of mutual support. As a combatant commander, I cannot conceive of 21st century military operations in support of shared interests that will not involve several coalition partners.
Cooperative innovation in technology is important as well. When I deployed with the USS Kitty Hawk battle group from San Diego six years ago, I took two new information systems to sea. One was a strike planning system; the other was an air defense planning and command-and-control system.
The engineers for one of the systems sailed along with us. As a bug or an opportunity came up, the engineers, backed up by the lab team back home, would act on the spot. By the time we finished the cruise, that system was very effective, and we would not have wanted to become involved in any conflict without it.
The other system had the usual first-time glitches, and my staff tried to use it by themselves for a few weeks — but then they gave up. Whenever we requested support by telephone, we were simply told to document the problems, and they would be addressed in the next update to the software. So, that system gathered dust in the corner for the rest of the cruise.
We operate in coalitions, and should develop and test as many of our new systems together as possible. Failure to do so and to correct shortcomings in the early stages will result in much less effective response time and effort for any multinational cooperative missions, such as disaster relief, or combating transnational threats of piracy, drugs, and terrorism.
We must be able to share a common operating picture, and to communicate quickly whenever necessary at the tactical and operational levels. The Asia-Pacific Area Network (http://www.apan-info.net) is certainly a great starting point. APAN now has more than 1,500 registered users from 36 countries. Over 900 different visitors log on to the web site every month. In an age of budget decreases for many of us, this is an extremely cost-effective way to coordinate exercises, conferences, visits, and other military activities.
Even more important than the technological challenges that face us in a multinational environment are the critical relationships of human beings. Their experience with multinational interactions will make the difference.
Then, if our national goals are in alignment, as they often are, our habitual cooperation and relationships will provide a much greater chance of success for any multinational missions, thereby assisting us in attaining our common regional and international security goals. And the amazing by-product is almost inevitably an improvement in the readiness of all our national forces, which ultimately works to ensure peace and prosperity can thrive throughout the communities of nations. What more could we all ask for, as these cooperative concepts become shared reality?
