U.S. Tries to Soothe Southeast Asia on Security Initiative

[struggle4progress]

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his military chiefs sought to ease fears among Southeast Asian officials today that a security initiative for the region's naval lanes might encroach on nations' sovereignty.
<snip>

The initiative has become a sore spot for countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, where suspicions run high about United States efforts to combat terrorism in the region. The Pentagon is currently consulting with 21 Asian nations over the initiative.
<snip>

Signaling concern that early opposition to the maritime initiative could kill it in its crib, Adm. Walter F. Doran, the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, briefed reporters on the project today. He said the initiative would clear the ground for a protocol for information sharing in sensitive naval lanes like the Straits of Malacca here, through which much of the world's oil passes.
<snip>

"I assure you there's no grand scheme to establish bases or have elite forces running through the Straits of Malacca," he said.
<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/04/international/asia/04CND-RUMS.html

Article also shows Rummy wrapping everything in the cloak of WWII.

[htuttle]

1. So they want to confront China now?

China claims that the Straits of Malacca is in it's strategic sphere, IIRC.

I remember the last time the Bush administration went up against China. We got our spy plane back in little pieces...

:eyes:

[struggle4progress]

2. I think they've probably already scared China enough ...

to affect China's long-term posture towards the US.