Moving into Asia

I must say that my initial reaction to stationing our troops in Australia was not favorable. It seems like another empire-grabbing move and that may be what it eventually winds up as. Stephen Walt has a different view.   

He sees it as an attempt to ensure that China does not become powerful enough to seriously challenge us. In his view this emphasis on Asia is really a defensive position, not only with regard to Asia but also with regard to the Western Hemisphere. Of course, Walt does not believe in unilateralism; he urges "extensive diplomatic engagement with China and with our various Asian partners".

While Walt approves of this initiative, he is very far away from agreeing with many of our other foreign policy positions. Maybe he is right about our new Asia policy.