Unstable Pivot?

While the formal introductions of Hagel continue, here is the nominee's response to an advance policy question on the viability of the Obama administration's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region in the event of sequestration:

Congress passed and the President signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011. The President insisted that the resulting defense cuts be driven by strategy and U.S. defense needs in the coming decade. I understand that the FY13 Department of Defense budget was shaped by the strategic guidance and reflects key mission and capability priorities emerging from the strategic review. If confirmed, I would continue to refine the focus of the Department’s spending in future budget cycles and keep it in line with the President’s strategic guidance. I believe that the Department is facing hard but manageable cuts. The strategy is executable with the resource levels currently detailed in the Budget Control Act, but the potentially severe cuts stemming from sequestration would seriously threaten the Department’s ability to implement the strategic guidance.