U.S. Shifting Military Forces Closer to China

Source: AllGov

In an effort to counterbalance China’s growing military prowess, the U.S. is working to station naval and Marine forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

The most controversial move, as far as the Chinese are concerned, is the decision to base some of the U.S. Navy’s most modern combat ships, littoral combat ships, in Singapore, which possesses strategic importance for shipping.

 

Singapore sits along the Straits of Malacca, through which thousands of ships pass each year between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It’s also located on the southern edge of the South China Sea, over which Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries have ongoing territorial disputes.

 

The Department of Defense is still negotiating with Singapore officials to station Littoral Combat Ships at the seven-year-old Changi Naval Base. The vessels can handle missions ranging from anti-piracy to submarine tracking to special operations.

 

In addition to the naval plans, the U.S. is preparing to permanently base anywhere from 250 to 2,500 Marines in northern Australia. The decision will allow the U.S. to more quickly deploy front-line military forces in the region in the event of a crisis.

 

The U.S. has already deployed anti-missile systems in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

 

Navy’s Next Stop in Asia Will Set China on Edge (by Craig Whitlock, Washington Post)

U.S. Troops Headed to Australia, Irking China (by David Nakamura, Washington Post)

Permanent US Military Presence in Australia

Source: Land Destroyer
Tony Cartalucci
Another "Obama policy" long-ago decided by corporate-fascist think-tanks. 

After months of assuring a skeptical and disgruntled Australian public that the US military would not be getting a permanent base in Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported a "US Marine Base for Darwin." US President Barrack Obama is credited with the decision, one overtly declared to be in direct response to the rise of China. Despite Obama getting credit, however, one shadowy "institution" is overly ecstatic over the announcement, and while Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith attempts to reassure the public that Australia will not have "US bases," this institution's "news blog" has already declared the decision as potentially the moment "where Australia fundamentally cast its lot in with the US," vis-a-vis China. This institution is particularly ecstatic because despite the media giving credit to Obama, it was their idea, one they've been promoting openly since at least June.

The Lowy Institution, which masquerades as an Australian think-tank, is in actuality funded and representative of the global-corporate-financier oligarchy. Described in detail in, "Globalists' Australian Nexus ," it was specifically noted as far back as June 2011 that the Lowy Institute was behind a call for establishing US military bases throughout Australia. The Australian specifically named the Lowy Institute as one of the unelected "planners" behind making "the case for US Bases." As in the recent Lowy Institute affirmation of this policy as Obama prepares to unveil their corporate-funded agenda in Darwin, Australia next Thursday, Lowy back in June also cited China and the inclusion of Australia in a more aggressive strategy being pursued by Wall Street and London to maintain their financial, economic, and strategic hegemony throughout Asia.