Hawaii and Guam: Strategic Convergence Zones for the United States Forward Defense Strategy in the Pacific Rim
By SWJ Editors
Journal Article | Mar 15 2011 - 6:08am
Hawaii and Guam: Strategic Convergence Zones for the United States Forward Defense Strategy in the Pacific Rim
by James A. Kent and Eric Casino
Download the Full Article: Hawaii and Guam: Strategic Convergence Zones for the United States Forward Defense Strategy in the Pacific Rim
Robert Kaplan had an article in the May/June 2010 issue of Foreign Affairs titled "The Geography of Chinese Power: How Far Can Beijing Reach on Land and at Sea?" His discussion of what the Chinese Navy calls the "first island chain" and the "second island chain" in the Pacific Ocean drew our attention. These two maritime constructs are not simply linear descriptions of the layout of islands but ones with value-added undertones for both Chinese and American geostrategists over the Pacific Rim. Among these undertones, three are discussed below. First is the general observation that geography trumps politics in dealing with the emergent Chinese power. Second is that Guam and Hawaii because of their critically important position in the second island chain are historically poised to benefit the nations of the Pacific Rim by becoming new convergence zones. Third the emerging trends and the actions needed to capture, benefit from and give leadership to these trends for the Pacific century are discussed.
Available online at :
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/hawaii-and-guam-strategic-convergence-zones-for-the-united-states-forward-defense-strategy-
