Commentary: America’s reassurances about the Indo-Pacific leave room for doubt
- SINGAPORE: In his first official trip to Southeast Asia, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby stressed that America is more engaged than ever in the Indo-Pacific.
- However, the top Pentagon adviser added that US investment in the region is “coupled with a newfound but common-sense expectation of much greater effort and contribution by our allies and partners”.
- Mr Colby also doubled down on his criticism of middle power alliances that exclude the US, arguing that efforts to ramp up defence capabilities need to integrate and complement America’s.
Unverified
- SINGAPORE: In his first official trip to Southeast Asia, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby stressed that America is more engaged than ever in the Indo-Pacific.
- However, the top Pentagon adviser added that US investment in the region is “coupled with a newfound but common-sense expectation of much greater effort and contribution by our allies and partners”.
- Mr Colby also doubled down on his criticism of middle power alliances that exclude the US, arguing that efforts to ramp up defence capabilities need to integrate and complement America’s.
Sources: CNA