Asia-Pacific Report

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Sen. John McCain, (R-AZ), the panel's ranking Republican; and committee member Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) today released a new independent assessment of the U.S. defense posture in the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility, noting in a statement that the report -- prepared for the Pentagon and Congress by the Center for Strategic and International Studies -- examines key issues.

“While we are still reviewing this 110-page report and its classified annex, we note that CSIS raises a number of issues that are worthy of further consideration,” according to the statement from Levin, McCain and Webb. “For example, CSIS concluded that 'DOD has not adequately articulated the strategy behind its force posture planning nor aligned the strategy with resources in a way that reflects current budget realities.' This is particularly important as support for the resourcing of major overseas initiatives, in the current fiscal environment, will depend to a significant extent on a clear articulation of U.S. strategic imperatives and the manner in which the investments address them.”

Levin, McCain and Webb agree with CSIS’s emphasis on the need for DOD to articulate the strategy behind its force-posture planning more clearly. “Congress must also be confident that the DOD force planning and realignment proposals are realistic, workable, and affordable,” the senators note. “The report helps to frame the many issues associated with the reposturing of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific.”

In his comments on the report, included in the document, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stresses the importance of U.S. efforts to bolster alliances and partnerships in the region to advance a common security vision for the future. “We agree,” the senators state. “Our military’s forward presence is a strong guarantor for peace and stability, and our bilateral security agreements are the foundation for our nation’s security posture in Asia. The current and future U.S. military force posture in the Asia-Pacific region is a complex and critically important element of our overall global security strategy as well as a tangible sign of the strong and unwavering support for our allies in the region.” The report and Panetta’s comments will inform the committee's consideration of these complex issues and the progress of plans to reposture U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the senators.