September 30, 2001

[Excerpts on the contents related to Asia]

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U.S. Interests and Objectives

The purpose of the U.S. Armed Forces is to protect and advance U.S. national interests and, if deterrence fails, to decisively defeat threats to those interests. The United States has interests, responsibilities, and commitments that span the world. As a global power with an open society, the United States is affected by trends, events, and influences that originate from beyond its borders. The development of the defense posture should take into account the following enduring national interests:

Ø          Ensuring U.S. security and freedom of action, including:

Ø          U.S. sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom

Ø          Safety of U.S. citizens at home and abroad

Ø          Protection of critical U.S. infrastructure

Ø          Honoring international commitments, including:

Ø          Security and well-being of allies and friends

Ø          Precluding hostile domination of critical areas, particularly Europe, Northeast Asia, the East Asian littoral1, and the Middle East and Southwest Asia

Ø          Peace and stability in the Western Hemisphere

Ø          Contributing to economic well-being, including:

Ø          Vitality and productivity of the global economy

Ø          Security of international sea, air, and space, and information lines of communication

Ø          Access to key markets and strategic resources.

Protecting these interests requires vigorous commitment and support. It entails effective diplomacy, a strong economy, and a watchful and ready defense. When U.S. interests are protected, America and its friends prosper from peace and freedom. When U.S. interests are challenged, the Nation must possess the strength and resolve to provide for their defense.

1 The east Asian littoral is defined as the region stretching from south of Japan through Australia and into the Bay of Bengal.

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Deter Forward

As a global power, the United States has important geopolitical interests around the world.  DoD's new planning construct calls for maintaining regionally tailored forces forward stationed and deployed in Europe, Northeast Asia, the East Asian littoral, and the Middle East/Southwest Asia to assure allies and friends, counter coercion, and deter aggression against the United States, its forces, allies, and friends.

As this strategy and force planning approach are implemented, the United States will strengthen its forward deterrent posture. Over time, U.S. forces will be tailored increasingly to maintain favorable regional balances in concert with U.S. allies and friends with the aim of swiftly defeating attacks with only modest reinforcement and, where necessary, assuring access for follow-on forces. A key objective of U.S. transformation efforts over time will be to increase the capability of its forward forces, thereby improving their deterrent effect and possibly allowing for reallocation of forces now dedicated to reinforcement to other missions.

Security cooperation will serve as an important means for linking DoD's strategic direction with those of its allies and friends. DoD will focus its peacetime overseas activities on security cooperation to help create favorable balances of military power in critical areas of the world and to deter aggression and coercion. A particular aim of DoD's security cooperation efforts will be to ensure access, interoperability, and intelligence cooperation, while expanding the range of pre-conflict options available to counter coercive threats, deter aggression, or favorably prosecute war on U.S. terms.

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Reorienting the U.S. Military Global Posture

The United States will maintain its critical bases in Western Europe and Northeast Asia, which may also serve the additional role of hubs for power projection in future contingencies in other areas of the world.