Why was Asia left out of the Obama doctrine?

webfact · May 30, 2014

Why was Asia left out of the Obama doctrine?
Jeremy Au Yong
The Straits Times

(ANN) US President Barack Obama spent more than an hour outlining his vision for American foreign policy before the graduating class at the Westpoint Military Academy. When he finished, one question puzzled observers: Where did Asia fit in this new vision?

Given that the Pacific rebalance has been a key pillar of his foreign policy for the past six years, it did not go unnoticed that the word was not mentioned a single time in what was supposed to be a speech setting out the Obama doctrine.

Washington observers say the omission was likely the result of a need to tailor his message to the audience, but said that it would likely disappoint those in Asia.

"I was a bit surprised by this myself," Dr Richard Bush, director of the Centre for East Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution said of the president's decision to leave Asia out of the address.

"The main answer, I think, is that this was an army audience and the army, along with the marines, have borne the brunt of ground interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"So it's important for army officers to know, going forward, how the US government is going to use them - and, more importantly, not use them. And that's what he did. If he had done the graduation speech at the Naval Academy, which is on the front lines of rebalancing, it would have been a very different, Asia-focused speech."

The omission was made all the more glaring by the hype surrounding Wednesday's speech. Numerous media outlets had been reporting since the weekend that the president would use the opportunity to present a reworked vision for his much-criticised foreign policy.

Dr Amitav Acharya, an international relations professor and author of the book The End of American World Order, said: "A lot of Asians will be quite surprised because the White House, through media leaks, had created the expectation that it will be a foreign policy reboot and we will have a sweeping overview of American foreign policy. But then, how do you leave Asia out of that?"

He added: "If you are going to look at this as a reboot, then it will raise a lot of questions. This was not a reboot. It was a refinement."

To observers, this was also a missed opportunity for the president to finally make a case to Americans about the need for the US to be engaged in Asia.

"The public is not going to understand it if the president does not explain it," said Dr Acharya.

Obama made only a brief mention of China and its need to follow international law in solving maritime disputes.

He focused the rest of his speech almost entirely on explaining how he intended to take the US off a war footing and be more selective in the conflicts that he would send troops to.

While the speech was disappointing to Asia watchers, most stress that it should not be read as a sign that the White House is giving up on its Pacific rebalance.
A move to scale back its military commitments actually has positive implications for Asia, said Dr Bush.

"One can argue, as I do, that having a selective approach to intervention is designed precisely because it makes rebalancing more feasible and sustainable," he said.

For now, though, the best the administration can do to make up for the omission is by being even clearer at future opportunities to explain his foreign policy.

"I hope his people will explain the absence in this instance," said Professor Robert Sutter, the professor of Practice of International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

"We've had lots of speeches, what we need is a clear plan and actions on implementing the rebalance in ways that reassure the region.

"Obama's visit last month was good in that regard - there are more opportunities at the Shangri-La dialogue, the Asean Regional Forum and others."

-- ANN 2014-05-30

dukeandduke · May 30, 2014

"Stay out of our lives!"

"Hey, you didn't talk about us in your speech. What's up with that?"

Delta8500 · May 30, 2014

I am a regular voter in the USA. No truly thinking person here cares what Obama says or does not say. He is a habitual liar and a narcissist who hides behind a race conscious media. If he is ignoring you, count your blessings and hope for new leadership here in the USA.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Chill1 · May 30, 2014

With the BRICS gaining momentum and Russia/China agreeing gas production/supply perhaps the Asia part of the new foreign policy needs a rework before being made public? The China Russia alliance in particular seemed to take them by surprise.

Also, Syria, Ukraine, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan et al may have left the cupboard bare for more expansion of US style democracy across the regions.

For the time being at least.

dukeandduke · May 30, 2014

As an American, I'm grateful that this president cares first and foremost about protecting American citizens.

You want new leadership, in the form of 9-11, an escort out of the country for the Bin Laden family, Iraq, Katrina, an economic collapse, etc.?

Well, the U.S. will have new presidential leadership -- after this crazy idea of an election -- in the form of a woman.

zaphod reborn · May 30, 2014

Obama's entering lame duck territory and his "doctrine" falls on deaf ears. There is little he can accomplish or do to save his legacy in the short time remaining. Although he can chalk up some successes during his tenure, he did not live up to expectations. Big promises, mediocre performance.

wwest5829 · May 30, 2014

Thanks, feel free to voice your opinion but do not speak for me! As a thinking American I listen to many but do not necessarily agree with all that I hear.

HUAHIN62 · May 30, 2014

The Chinese told him to keep off the Asia pivot subject, you can't p.... off the guys you owe trillions.

Torrens54 · May 30, 2014

Yep, we don't need his alleged wisdom and in any case, he never manages to follow-through on anything, even his threats!

Interestingly, on FOX News, they ran a shot of "Bumbling Barack" and the rather mild but polite applause he got from the people at West Point.

This was followed by a shot of the Standing Ovation accorded to George Bush (Junr.) when he addressed the Military College a few years ago.

rotary · May 30, 2014

Because Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid forgot to tell the speech writer to include that on the teleprompter that Obama was reading from.

umbanda · May 30, 2014

Sure, why not?...They are the same.....or better..." The same shit with different smell"

Edited May 30, 2014 by umbanda

stoli · May 30, 2014

Very ignorant article. I do not care for Obama at all, but this was not a speech to Congress about U.S. relations in the world. Keep your focus on what is important. Rant elsewhere.

chuckd · May 30, 2014

Brilliant.

ggt · May 30, 2014

When asked why Asia was left out of his speech...he says" "Asia who?"

Always18 · May 30, 2014

As an ex-pat Brit I truly second that sentiment.

Obama, in my view, is the most limp-wristed and embarrassing "leader of the free world" that we have ever known and, sadly, a rabid Anglophobe to boot.

Please, please get this oxygen-thief replaced ASAP.

Johpa · May 30, 2014

Interesting that the sheep at West Point would give a standing ovation to a president who would lie to send them off to die in a ridiculous war in Iraq that was waged solely to obtain profits to Big Oil and Cheney's friends while giving a tepid resonse to Obama. Asia should rejoice to be left out of any "doctrine", a word that since the early 19th century refers to America's corporate plan for colonialism. It is to Obama's credit, and I don't usually have a reason to give Obama much credit, that he did not use the word "doctrine" combined with the word "Asia" in a speech.

Ironically, the only recent American general with the cajones to stand up against the desires of the corporate/executive branch to protect his troops was General Shinseki.

Bwanatickey · May 30, 2014

We can all rest easy now, after reading the comments it appears that being ignored by the U.S.A is a good thing.

So Asia can relax, oh well North Korea is now as safe as her neighbours, even for those that share the South China sea.

no American interference

Ulysses G. · May 31, 2014

All valid points and those West Point graduates definitely concur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-HhB9wlgUE

Benmart · May 31, 2014

I've not had the opportunity to meet all of the cadets and officers in the audience at West Point, so I can't comment on the "sheep" issue.

Having served for twenty years in the US Army, I can say with some degree of experience, that I have met people who we quite happy to follow blindly. I've also had the same experience in the civilian sector. I would hardly label either one as sheep.

"Corporate colonialism" is an interesting term that seems to be frequently used without any specific explanation as to it's meaning. If there is a "corporate plan", I would hope that someone shares it with me since I'm not a member of an inner circle that is privy to such information.

As for Mr. Obama. He is an outgoing President and I will wait to see who his successor is and what direction American foreign policy takes. It should give TVF posters many hours of happy postings.

socksy01 · May 31, 2014

You can have Blair ex-UK PM. Another born liar who would never know leadership as long as he's got a hole in his ar*#

JSPS · May 31, 2014

You have to understand that Obama did not change anything.

He went to West Point and read the speech that was on the teleprompter.

It's just words to him.

ABCer · June 1, 2014

Poor Obama. He's doomed if he does or he's doomed if he doesn't.

On the other hand - what do his speeches mean to the world?

Americans in the true spirit of Democracy almost always make a bad choice about Presidency.

On the other hand - in the same spirit of Democracy they almost always use their guns afterwards.

On the other hand... Ooops, I ran out of hands.

Pattszero · June 1, 2014

The Monroe Doctrine sentenced South America to well-nigh two centuries of penury. Asia should count itself lucky that it's been missed out of this one.

Scott · June 1, 2014

Off-topic and inflammatory posts deleted.

tw25rw · June 1, 2014

It was Fox News

Ulysses G. · June 1, 2014

It was also genuine footage of both events. Are you so partisan that you think it matters who runs it?

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8-HhB9wlgUE

Edited June 1, 2014 by Ulysses G.

tw25rw · June 1, 2014

So you're honestly not embarrassed to watch Fox News?

The clips showed 2 presidents addressing an audience that has been through several years of indoctrination and was probably largely right wing to begin with. An audience that hadn't surrendered the right to free thought might have responded differently.

Ulysses G. · June 1, 2014

Not in the least. My favorite show is Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace and number two is Special Report with Bret Baier. They are some of the best news shows on any network and usually have balanced discussion panels, so one gets all points of view.

Actually, the clips show West Point graduates greeting one commander in chief - Obama - with polite, lukewarm clapping and another one - Bush - with enthusiastic yelling, screaming and a standing ovation.

Edited June 1, 2014 by Ulysses G.

johnnywishbone · June 1, 2014

Obama is a lying corrupt socialist racist <deleted>. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. He is a typical liberal democrat.

The only thing that got him elected was skin color and rhetoric.

And,

He is now Putins' Bitch.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

chuckd · June 1, 2014

I don't get Fox News so I watched it on CNN.

The cadets in 2008 were welcoming one of their own. The cadets in 2014 were greeting Obama.

Big difference.

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