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The Tragedy: An American Dilemma
| Article
# : |
10038 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
Date : |
4 / 1986 |
1,454 Words |
| Author
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Ramon H. Myers
Ramon H. Myers is a senior fellow and curator of the East
Asian Collection at the Hoover Institution in Stanford,
California. |
The Republic of the Philippines stood on the brink of civil war, its economy is a shambles, and the nation is continually threatened by a takeover of communist-led guerrilla forces and their well-organized supporters in major cities. The United States cannot abandon this republic because its stability is so important to preserving the peace and security of the Pacific Basin, as well as America's own security interests.
Power Balance
It is significant that the U.S. Pacific Fleet maintains the balance of military power in the region. Nuclear submarines provide an important element of the overall U.S. nuclear deterrent. Units of the Seventh Fleet protect both the vital sea-lanes upon which the countries of the Pacific Basin depend and the critical choke points: the three straits around Japan and the Malacca Straits, connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The U.S. fleet discourages military aggression and prevents any naval blockade of America's friends and allies.
The bases at Subic Bay and Clark Field are vital for the effective operations of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Air Force. They lie midway between the north and south choke points and very near the vital sea-lanes in the region. Subic Bay's docks and repair facilities enable the U.S. fleet to project its power throughout the northeast and southeast sectors and to rapidly deploy units to the Persian Gulf. Clark Field enables the United States to maintain air and sea surveillance over the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Vacating these two bases and retreating to Guam or elsewhere would be
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