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U.S. Marine lieutenant has a message for China
by Robert Haddick
The United States and the Philippines have begun a two-week training exercise that includes a practice amphibious assault on a beach facing the Spratly Islands. A reporter for the Associated Press caught up with a U.S. Marine lieutenant (I don’t know whether he is a PAO) who had an interesting comment about the exercise:
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Nick Eisenbeiser said the Oct. 17-28 maneuvers would focus on honing their joint capability to ensure regional security and were not aimed at China or any country as an imaginary target.
"They shouldn't get worried," Eisenbeiser told The Associated Press, when asked if the exercises were aimed at China, whose growing naval power has set off concerns in the region. "We're assisting the Chinese in ensuring that their region is peaceful."
Good messaging, both by conducting the exercise itself, and by 1stLt. Eisenbeiser.
(1 vote)
About the Author
Robert Haddick is a contractor at U.S. Special Operations Command. From January 2009 to September 2012 he was Managing Editor of Small Wars Journal. During this time, he wrote the “This Week at War” column for Foreign Policy. Haddick was a U.S. Marine Corps officer, served in the 3rd and 23rd Marine Regiments, and deployed to Asia and Africa. He has advised the State Department, the National Intelligence Council, and U.S. Central Command.
In the private sector, Haddick was Director of Research at the Fremont Group, a large private investment firm and an affiliate of the Bechtel Corporation. He established the firm's global proprietary trading operation and was president of one of Fremont's overseas investment subsidiaries.
In addition to Foreign Policy and Small Wars Journal, Haddick's writing has been published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Air & Space Power Journal, and other publications. He has appeared in many radio and television interviews.
Contact Robert at robert@smallwarsjournal.com.
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Original content is published under a Creative Commons License per our Terms of Use.
Comments
Nicely put, but wonder whether the true intent is to assure or deter.
I've been studying up on the Malacca Straits, Spratly Islands, Philippines, and Okinawa as of late looking for some sort of expanded role for the Army and Marines in the Pacific. Looks like the Marines already identified one key role. It kind of counters AirSea Battle's minimization of any key capability for ground forces. You can picture at least half a dozen ways to get ground troops onto Taiwan prior to any PRC capability to seriously disrupt it given adequate indications and warnings before an amphibious invasion.
To understand how convoluted the Spratley situation is check out Wikipedia under "Spratly Islands dispute." Lots of marginal islands have had extraordinary attempts to demonstrate occupation...buildings on stilts, etc, with the reef submerged at high tide.
But contrast this diplomatic attempt (maybe backhanded) to placate the Chinese, while elsewhere we sail a missile cruiser into the Black Sea for an exercise with Georgia. No diplomatic talk there that I can perceive. Where's Dayuhan when you need him? What's the unclassified skinny on the Philippines? Are they ready to welcome back the U.S.?
I've been working on a white paper that may or may not get published if I can get my act together. It outlines parking the USS George Washington (that the Navy may decommission, why waste it) in the middle of the Spratly's and using it as a FOB for Army ground and aviation troops, Marine MV-22s, JHSV and LCS carrying Army troops...the Spratly's are conveniently centered between the Malacca Straits and Taiwan. Did you know you could easily fly Army helicopters or MV-22 from either Okinawa, the Spratly's, or the Philippines to Taiwan by island hopping?
Very well done
That's some solid PAO job performance right there. Well done.
Ditto on the well done!