Southeast Asia caught greater attention from the U.S. after the latter launched its “war on terror” in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Southeast Asia, most especially the Philippines, provided U.S. Pres. George W. Bush with a venue to project the “global war on terror”. And Philippine Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo offered the U.S. with a “less complicated” venue.
By Benjie Oliveros
Fellow, Center for Anti-Imperialist Studies
Posted by Bulatlat
U.S. military presence has been traditionally heavy in the Northeast. U.S. bases in Japan and Korea are the biggest in Asia. It is described as the “critical component of U.S. deterrent and rapid response strategy in Asia.”[1]
But Southeast Asia caught greater attention from the U.S. after the latter launched its “war on terror” in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Southeast Asia, most especially the Philippines, provided U.S. Pres. George W. Bush with a venue to project the “global war on terror”. And Philippine Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo offered the U.S. with a “less complicated” venue.
On September 12, Philippine President Arroyo wrote U.S. President Bush, “We extend whatever support we can muster…We will help in whatever way we can to strengthen the global effort to crush those responsible for this barbaric act.” When U.S. President Bush declared, on September 20, the protracted and borderless “war on terror”, President Arroyo, on September 26, wholeheartedly and unqualifiedly offered Philippine airspace for over flight by U.S. warplanes, and the country’s airfields and naval facilities for the transit, staging and refueling of U.S. planes and warships.
In the course of President Arroyo’s visit to the U.S. in November 2001, she agreed to launch Operation Balikatan (Shoulder to shoulder), joint military exercises of U.S. and Filipino forces, in Basilan on January, 2002 and to push for an access agreement later announced as the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement. In exchange, the U.S. sent her home with $92.3 million in military equipment, including two C-130 military transport plane, a naval patrol boat, Huey helicopters and 30,000 M-16 rifles plus ammunition.
Agence Presse-France called the Balikatan joint exercises as the “Southeast Asian Phase of the U.S. campaign on terrorism.”[2] Aside from the U.S. military build-up in the Middle East, the Philippines, through Balikatan, has seen the second biggest U.S. military deployment since Afghanistan.[3]
U.S. interests in Southeast Asia
The Southeast Asian region is strategically located. To the north of the region is Korea, China, and Japan. The U.S. has been in a constant state of war footing against North Korea since after World War II. China is considered as a major political and military rival to the U.S. The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review reflects the U.S.’ assessment of China. It states, “Of the major and emerging powers, China has the greatest potential to compete militarily with the U.S. and field disruptive military technologies that could over time offset traditional U.S. military advantages absent U.S. counter strategies.”
Japan, while being a major U.S. ally is likewise an economic competitor.
Militarily, Southeast Asia is an important transit point for U.S. troops if war breaks out in Korea or China. Second, it may be used as launching site for U.S. “mobile expeditionary operations” not only in the southeast but also in other parts of Asia and the Middle East.
To the east is the Indian sub-continent and the oil-rich Middle East. To the south is Australia, another major U.S. ally. The sea lanes of the region are critical to the movement of U.S. forces from the Western Pacific to the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.
A high proportion of the trade of Japan, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Australia passes through the straits of Malacca, Sumba, or Lomboc or the straits of East Timor.[4]
Aside from its geopolitical importance, Southeast Asia is home to 500 million people and a wealth of natural resources. Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation and the biggest Muslim country.
