Forum Post: 70,000 Troops to the Asia Pacific Region
Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 17, 2013, noon EST by TrevorMnemonic
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How did I miss this one. From November 29, 2012
http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5158
"The Marines, no change in Marine Corps presence west of the international dateline, despite the fact that the Marine Corps is going to be reducing in size at the end of the Iraq/Afghanistan war. No change to Marine Corps west of the international dateline. And in fact, they -- they'll be seeing more of the Marines in the Pacific, and the Army too. Why? Because they're not in Afghanistan. The Army itself plans to align 70,000 troops to the Asia Pacific region as part of its new general regional alignment, which heavily weighs the Asia-Pacific region."
Much more to read in the link above.
If anyone has additional info on this let me know. It seems like this has gone kind of under the radar.
And now talks are underway about keeping troops in Afghanistan past 2014. Beteen 3,000 and 9,000.... and a not yet discussed large number of hired mercenaries, as per usual. Hired mercenaries/private-contractors have often outnumbered troop levels in Afghanistan. The new NDAA wants the military to be ready to strike Iran if it's called upon. Recently a nuclear sub crashed into a boat in the Straight of Hormuz.
Man, that is some tiny font size. I heard that they were going to "re-aline troops" or forces toward Asia for any possible threat from China. Not sure if it was Summer or Fall 2012.
They do hide the info in different ways. They way they announced it it was additional troops or air force servicemen for exercises in Philippines, Australia, .. not sure if they mentioned Okinawa or not. seems like we heard something about more annaul training in Thailand. And we heard about use of ports in Vietnam.
But I never heard any numbers for permanent troops or permanent assignment increases. I knew that is what was going to happen when they said that China was the Threat - has to be some troop increase. 70,000 is too high a number for a rotating training exercise.
Wait, when they say align or realign it can mean changing permanent assignment between different services, and different countries or locations. If you read it one way it could be just moving people around and not an increase.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/world/asia/us-militarys-new-focus-on-asia-becomes-clearer.html?_r=0
"....¶Troop increases: The United States has 320,000 troops in the Pacific region, and the Pentagon has promised there will be no reductions as troops are drawn down in Afghanistan and other parts of the world. The already large military presence is one reason there has been skepticism that an additional 2,500 Marines in Australia, a move Mr. Obama announced last fall, amounts to more than show. It did, however, provoke a sharp response from Beijing..."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/14/us-usa-asia-military-idUSBRE8AD05Y20121114
By 2020, the Pentagon expects to have 60 percent of its naval assets in Asia, up from about 50 percent now. Analysts say they have no details yet of troop numbers but there will be some realignment from bases in Japan and from the war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon also has its eye on Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay, an important deepwater port for French, Japanese, American and Soviet forces during the last century.
This realignment has been ongoing for some time now.
I remember reading about China getting pissed a year ago when ships were going out there. I had no idea the numbers were estimated to get as high as mentioned above though.
Well it's interesting because they are always so secretive but their actions over the past two years suggest that military focus has shifted from the Middle East to Asia. How much of this is economic concern?
Yes, they said they were going to do this. Probably has something to do with the new trade agreement.
Well yea I would say their concerns are likely financial rather than defense oriented.