Pacific Command and the Pacific
Last week we had the opportunity to interview Maj. Gen. Michael A. Keltz, in a Bloggers’ Roundtable. MG Keltz is the Director, J-5, Strategic Planning and Policy, on the Pacific Command Staff. He covered a number of topics related to PACOM’s mission in the Pacific.
U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nick Hall, a search and rescue corpsman with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron looks at flooded neighborhoods during the Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team from III Marine Expeditionary Force as they conduct an aerial assessment of Pathum Thani, Sai Mai, and surrounding areas north of Bangkok. An abnormal monsoon season has caused flooding which has affected 61 provinces and 8.2 million people. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Robert J. Maurer
The announcement that U.S. Marines would be stationed in northern Australia was covered in depth. He also confirmed that talks are underway with the government of Singapore concerning the possibility of home porting Navy ships in that tiny nation or even stationing troops there.
The Virginia-class attack submarine USS Texas -SSN 775- enters Subic Bay to conduct a port visit and coordinated tended mooring alongside the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). Texas is conducting her first deployment to the western Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by CM1 David R. Krigbaum
Pacific Command has spent the last decade working steadily to build partnerships and improve relationships with the many nations in and around the Pacific Ocean. MG Keltz added that PACOM has also been increasing capabilities and adding to America’s technological edge. As the command moves forward from the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is repositioning forces to support future missions, including humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR).
Guests learn about the aircraft carrier USS George Washington -CVN 73- during a tour of the flight deck while the ship is anchored off Hong Kong during a port visit. U.S. Navy photo by SR Erin Devenberg
The topics of India and China were raised.
Our developing relationship with India was described by Major General Keltz as a “full-spectrum push”. He told us that it is important that India be tied to the Southeast Asian region as it would help protect the global economy.
The Indian navy ship INS Ranvir -D54- steams alongside USS Blue Ridge -LCC 19- during exercise Malabar 2009. Malabar is a trilateral exercise between the United States, India, and Japan involving air, surface, and sub-surface warfare. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew R. White
China drew the most discussion. Keltz is somewhat of a scholar with respect to modern China. He advocates not labeling the country as either a friend or an enemy. “China is China”. He debates labeling the country as a threat but feels that the low level of transparency in the Chinese government and military “casts doubts on the Chinese intentions”. PACOM’s view of the Chinese strategy is:
So consequently, when you take that — and we’ve been piecing together their foreign policy, their strategic policy, their near-seas defense policy. And as you sit there and look at that strategy, they definitely look like they want to push everybody out of the region, of going — start from the Bohai Gulf, the Yellow Sea up in the north by Korea, coming down through Taiwan, coming into the South China Sea, their 9-Dash line — quite frankly, it doesn’t conform to international law.
It doesn’t conform to any kind of rule of law that we know. And it sure as heck doesn’t conform to any of the U.N. Convention Law of the Sea’s. So there’s a concern there, and that is something that is prudent for us to be prepared for.
An amphibious assault vehicle assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit enters the well deck of the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown -LSD 42-. Germantown is part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and is conducting operations in the western Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Casey H. Kyhl
Interview with Major General Keltz transcript
Table of contents for Bloggers' Roundtable
- We Don’t Commute to Work Anymore
- Terror Investors Might Want to Look Elsewhere
- I Hear It’s Safe
- In Our Area the Taliban Are Paying More a Month
- Iraqi Police Progress
- Sept. 11 Conspirators Going to Trial
- Continued Courage and Committment
- The Year of Opportunity – 2008
- Competent, Capable, Effective Leadership
- Afghan Army Acts: Decisive, Overwhelming
- Iraqi Military Medical Services
- Dallas Reporting: Aid Mission to Georgia
- Military Integration Into NIMS
- Status Report From the Afghan South
- Status Report From the Afghan East
- Fourth Fleet Is About Partnerships
- Iraqi Police Primer
- Sons of Iraq Status Update
- Army Apologizes
- We Are Here!
- Yar! There Be Pirates!
- Cobra Gold 2009
- Our Best: Sergeant First Class Helen Gillespie
- Africa Partnership Station Comes to E Africa
- Building the Rule of Law in Afghanistan
- Sons of Iraq and the Iraqi Budget
- Air Force Combat Camera – Focus on the Fight
- Afghan Update for July 22, 2009
- The Army Goal: 1.5 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy
- Withdrawing from Iraq – some perspective
- Iraqi security update April 22 2010
- 2012 Federal Budget for Defense
- Pacific Command and the Pacific
- Air Force high flyers mark 100th anniversary
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This entry was posted on Monday, November 21st, 2011 at 9:41 am and is filed under Original writing, Original writing, Reporting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
