Asia Pacific Defense Forum Fall 2004

By Maj. Jeremy L. Simmons, USA

The impact on regional security of transnational threats and their link to terrorism was the main topic of discussion at the 2004 Pacific Area Special Operations Conference (PASOC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Attendees included special operations officers from 24 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, along with numerous academics and representatives from various U.S. agencies.
Photo Courtesy of the Republic of Singapore Ministry of Defense.

Sri Lanka Army officers, Col. L. A. D. Amaratunga and Col. C. R. M. Silva, listen intently to a conference presentation.
Photo by TSgt. Jonathan F. Doti, USAF

“Two and a half years after the Global War on Terrorism began, nations of the Asia-Pacific region and their military officers now realize that transnational threats like narcotics trafficking, piracy, and the proliferation of arms and materiel link directly to terrorism. The impact of transnational threats and their link to terrorism on regional security was the main topic of discussion at the 12th annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference (PASOC) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Attendees included a distinguished group of special operations officers from 24 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, along with representatives from various U.S. agencies and numerous academics. The host of PASOC 2004, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Gregory Trebon, Commander of Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC), noted that since 11 September 2001, “Much has been accomplished in the region but there is still much left undone. And although there are always institutional reasons to not work in concert with each other, the reasons to overcome these obstacles far outweigh any perceived risk. For no nation’s security is enhanced by piracy, by narcotic trafficking, or from a terrorist organization acquiring a weapon of mass destruction. Therefore, we must figure out ways to respond to these threats, and we must figure out how to do it together.”

Lt.-Gen. Valeriy I. Pryadko, Directorate Chief, Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, raises a point during the conference accompanied by an interpreter.

Royal Nepalese Army Maj. Anupjung Thapa asks a question during the conference.

Maj. Jeremy L. Simmons, USA, is a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer assigned to the Navy Postgraduate School (NPGS) in Monterey, California. Maj. Simmons represented NPGS at PASOC 2004.

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