The state of the pivot: A missed American opportunity

[webfact]

The state of the pivot: A missed American opportunity
Curtis S Chin
Special to The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Just days after US President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address, the American public may well have been surprised to find the US leader in Asia, namely India, for a landmark visit following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the United States last September.

Obama's address to the US Congress, after all, said little to nothing about Southeast or South Asia, excluding Afghanistan. And as for the once much discussed "Asia pivot", or rebalance of US foreign policy to focus more on Asia, little has been heard from Obama recently in the midst of a disastrous midterm election for his political party and continued turmoil in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East.

With the eyes of America upon him, it's understandable that Obama played primarily to a domestic audience and focused on hometown concerns in his penultimate State of the Union address. As I argued in Fortune Magazine, however, that's unfortunate.

Prior to embarking for India, Obama had a chance to put that trip in the context of America's enduring commitment to Asia. He missed the opportunity to further what could still be a hallmark of his now waning administration, namely underscoring to America and to Asia the critical importance of strengthened US-Asia business, educational and cultural engagement.

Indeed, what could have been a "teaching moment" - on the value of strengthened trade and stronger ties with all of Asia - for American viewers as well as those watching from overseas proved to be a bust from an Asian perspective. Full of praise for what the president saw as his own domestic victories, the 70-minute speech said little of America's relationship with the world's most dynamic region, and why Asia matters to all of the United States - Wall Street to Main Street.

From initial words on disengagement - "for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over" (though some 15,000 US troops remain) - to the less than diplomatic - "as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world's fastest-growing region [and] put our workers and businesses at a disadvantage" - references to Asia in what is typically the most watched presidential speech of the year were limited and brief.

What of a comprehensive trade agreement now being negotiated - the Trans-Pacific Partnership - by the United States and 11 other Asia-Pacific nations? Little was said. The president did call for "both parties [of Congress] to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren't just free, but fair". But then, he quickly moved on, doing little to explain the jargon or to convince sceptics of his commitment to the hard work necessary to move such trade agreements forward.

And what of rising tensions in the South China Sea, as a wary Asia adjusts to a resurgent China, still the world's second-largest economy despite slowing growth rates? The US president was equally brief.

"In the Asia Pacific, we are modernising alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules - in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they participate in meeting common international challenges like non-proliferation and disaster relief," Obama said before pivoting to the topic of climate change.

What else might he have said? According to the latest data from the East-West Centre, a non-partisan Hawaii-based think tank, Obama could well have underscored to Americans that:

l 28 per cent of US goods and 27 per cent of US services exports go to Asia;

l 32 per cent of US jobs from exports depend on exports to Asia;

l 64 per cent of international students in the United States are from Asia - contributing $14 billion to the US economy;

l 8.5 million visitors from Asia contribute $41 billion to the US economy; and

l 39 states send at least a quarter of their exports to Asia.

To be clear, America's security and prosperity are closely and increasingly linked to Asia-Pacific. The region is home not just to China, but also to two of the world's largest democracies, India and Indonesia, as well as several nations, including Japan, the Philippines and South Korea, that the United States is bound by treaty to defend. Critically, Asia also provides growing opportunities for US trade, investment and entrepreneurship.

That's a point that US Secretary of State John Kerry underscored at a speech at the East West Centre in Honolulu in August 2014. "In the 21st century, a nation's interests and the wellbeing of its people are advanced not just by troops or diplomats, but they're advanced by entrepreneurs, by chief executives of companies, by the businesses that are good corporate citizens, by the workers that they employ, by the students that they train, and the shared prosperity that they create," he said.

Too bad that is a message that Obama chose not to share in his take from Washington on the state of the US union, as Asia looked on. Whether delivered amid a state visit to India or in the hall of the US Capitol building, the critical point remains: America matters to Asia, but Asia also matters to America.

Curtis S Chin is managing director of advisory firm RiverPeak Group, LLC, and a former US ambassador to the Asian Development Bank. Follow him on Twitter at @CurtisSChin.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/The-state-of-the-pivot-A-missed-American-opportuni-30252727.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-27

[willyumiii]

It is called "The State of The Union Speech".

"The Union" is the 50 States that comprise the United States.

Wait for his "State of the Asians Speech"

Still waiting?

[Publicus]

The so-called pivot to the Pacific is underway without the headlines the hot spots have been getting in Asia, the ME with IS and Syria, Ukraine, such as the drawdown in Afghanistan, US involvement in the South China Sea disputes in support of the Philippines and Vietnam in particular, new defense agreements and locating of troops in Australia, revised battle plans with Japan over East Sea islands coveted by the CCP Boyz in Beijing, a new and stronger relationship with India in the Indo-Pacific strategic region, new relations with Myanmar while being patient with its neighbors...and a lot more.

The next president should be able to have fewer problems in the old hot spot areas so that she can give proper attention to this region where she too is popular.

[NeverSure]

Who is this writer? Does he have any education?

This is the President's speech to Americans about the state of the Union - the 50 states. I'm not an Obama supporter but I'll stick up for him on this.

If this writer would like to hire Obama to give a speech on the state of US - Asian relations, he's welcome to but on his own dime.

"The State of the Union is the address presented by the President of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress, typically delivered annually. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows presidents to outline their legislative agenda (for which they need the cooperation of Congress) and their national priorities.

The address fulfills rules in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, requiring the President to periodically give Congress information on the "state of the union" and recommend any measures that he believes are necessary and expedient."

LINK

Edited January 27, 2015 by NeverSure

[ggt]

Obama's state of the union address...was anything but...his arrogance and humor were designed to kick start his political party's run for the Presidency in 2016...

[rijb]

He has a right to be arrogant. The economy is better than when he started office. And he tried to get us out of a few no-win wars.

Now, the republicans will take over and screw up the economy again, while starting new no-win wars.

PS: I'm not a democrat.

[yellowboat]

These statistics are interesting : l 28 per cent of US goods and 27 per cent of US services exports go to Asia;
32 per cent of US jobs from exports depend on exports to Asia;
64 per cent of international students in the United States are from Asia - contributing $14 billion to the US economy;
8.5 million visitors from Asia contribute $41 billion to the US economy; and
39 states send at least a quarter of their exports to Asia.

Most of what you hear from the US politicos is making Asians out to be the usurpers of US jobs. The problems I witnessed with Americans in China was that there are not enough Americans in China. Fatca makes living and working outside the US less appealing for some. Most older Americans would rather just stay home rather than deal with a different country, language and mentality.

[Publicus]

Who is this writer? Does he have any education?

This is the President's speech to Americans about the state of the Union - the 50 states. I'm not an Obama supporter but I'll stick up for him on this.

If this writer would like to hire Obama to give a speech on the state of US - Asian relations, he's welcome to but on his own dime.

"The State of the Union is the address presented by the President of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress, typically delivered annually. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows presidents to outline their legislative agenda (for which they need the cooperation of Congress) and their national priorities.

The address fulfills rules in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, requiring the President to periodically give Congress information on the "state of the union" and recommend any measures that he believes are necessary and expedient."

LINK

I would add that the OP is one of many who have their own list of very very super especially important to them matters which is true for all the reasons each commentator does in fact have, and understandably so.

I would suggest the OP send his piece to the White House via email because the president won't see it in the particular newspaper that published it. It's one of dozens of such articles in same or similar newspapers or journals across the world at this point.

One shouldn't have too much hope either that his email will get read above the level of intern. Perhaps the US ambassador could be invited to offer a reply, a state of the US and Thailand state of things kind of reply.

[Publicus]

Obama's state of the union address...was anything but...his arrogance and humor were designed to kick start his political party's run for the Presidency in 2016...

It's the 18 Republicans for president stirring around and about that need a kick...a good swift frontal kick to each of 'em.

The R party rank and file absolutely don't want another Bush and they have made the awful journey with Mitt and it left them dog tired and beaten down, as if they'd been on a car roof rack cross country.

There wuz one time during the speech the prez stopped the applause which came only from the R party side after he'd said he'd had his last campaign....."And I know cause I won both of 'em."

I suspect rather strongly the Republicans are going to be sucking wind cross country again next election.

[Morch]

Who is this writer? Does he have any education?

This is the President's speech to Americans about the state of the Union - the 50 states. I'm not an Obama supporter but I'll stick up for him on this.

If this writer would like to hire Obama to give a speech on the state of US - Asian relations, he's welcome to but on his own dime.

"The State of the Union is the address presented by the President of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress, typically delivered annually. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows presidents to outline their legislative agenda (for which they need the cooperation of Congress) and their national priorities.

The address fulfills rules in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, requiring the President to periodically give Congress information on the "state of the union" and recommend any measures that he believes are necessary and expedient."

LINK

Who is this writer? Does he have any education?

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/curtis-s-chin/0/11/b56?trk=pub-pbmap

http://www.asianfortunenews.com/site/article_0707.php?article_id=17

[ggt]

Obama's state of the union address...was anything but...his arrogance and humor were designed to kick start his political party's run for the Presidency in 2016...

It's the 18 Republicans for president stirring around and about that need a kick...a good swift frontal kick to each of 'em.

The R party rank and file absolutely don't want another Bush and they have made the awful journey with Mitt and it left them dog tired and beaten down, as if they'd been on a car roof rack cross country.

There wuz one time during the speech the prez stopped the applause which came only from the R party side after he'd said he'd had his last campaign....."And I know cause I won both of 'em."

I suspect rather strongly the Republicans are going to be sucking wind cross country again next election.

TVF Official Watchdog Guarding You Against The Far Right!

This says it all...doesn't it?

[Publicus]

Obama's state of the union address...was anything but...his arrogance and humor were designed to kick start his political party's run for the Presidency in 2016...

It's the 18 Republicans for president stirring around and about that need a kick...a good swift frontal kick to each of 'em.

The R party rank and file absolutely don't want another Bush and they have made the awful journey with Mitt and it left them dog tired and beaten down, as if they'd been on a car roof rack cross country.

There wuz one time during the speech the prez stopped the applause which came only from the R party side after he'd said he'd had his last campaign....."And I know cause I won both of 'em."

I suspect rather strongly the Republicans are going to be sucking wind cross country again next election.

TVF Official Watchdog Guarding You Against The Far Right!

This says it all...doesn't it?

That's only the half of it....

...my signature is the other half.