A Stabilizing Force In Asia?

Libya has been unable to escape the spotlight and the rest of the world has complacently watched as NATO bombs rained down on the North African country. Current events in Libya confirm that changing the imperial logic is futile. Despite everything, — the economic crisis, the most recent military commitments, the already promised support, the internal struggle in the face of new elections, and no hint of disinterest from the Libyans opposition — even with many vulnerabilities, the “most powerful” nation of the world is taking its time to clearly set its priorities.

The U.S. vice president’s recent trip through China, Mongolia and Japan reiterated the geo-strategic importance that the White House gives to this region. And even though it isn’t news – the details of Vice President Biden’s trip were announced in a speech by the Minister of National Security Deputy Minister, Anthony Blindennine, only nine days before his departure — the civil servant made it clear that the tour was part of the Obama administration’s efforts over the past two years to “renew and strengthen” the U.S. role in Asia.

“America is a Pacific power and will remain a Pacific power as long as any one of us are standing. And the reason for that is not to conquer lands or areas. We are the stabilizing force in the Pacific basin, the most populous area of the world,” Biden said at a press conference in Japan the end of his trip in the East.

The U.S. as a stabilizing force? This is the point where one asks if Washington’s second in command lives in the same world as the rest of us mortals. Since when do bombs stabilize? Aren’t they exactly what promote chaos?

All possible tools will be employed in order to expand the U.S. presence in the region, even this very unbelievable discourse that carries a hint of desperation. Don’t forget that the U.S. is trying to strengthen economic and commercial relations in the East, especially with China, the largest U.S. creditor. Despite differences, reservations or a veiled strategy of containment against the Asian giant, no business will be left out of the market.

In order to clear up any doubts, Lael Brainard, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, said that the trip was an opportunity for the vice president to “advance American economic interests in the dynamic region in Asia broadly.”

In Mongolia, White House officials described the visit as historic, which was rhetoric meant to mend the relationship; according to the EFE, a U.S. vice president has not set food in this Asian nation since 1944.

We can’t skip over the trip’s significance for Japan, a nation which Biden referred to as an anchor to guarantee the security and prosperity of the region, stating that the shared alliance “will be more important than in the past.” Although Japanese priorities are not focused overseas, but rather are centered on reconstruction of the areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in order to end political and other crises that Japan has suffered since last March, nor are they trying to dismiss the commitment from Washington.

It is no casual coincidence that since the end of the Second World War, the Pentagon has maintained about 48,000 soldiers and several military bases around Japan’s seas. More than 20,000 of these troops are uniformed and 160 high tech teams participated in the relief efforts of the disaster zones.

Biden’s visit to East Asia, his first as vice president, was more of the same. Nevertheless, it is not possible to abstain from cynicism, as bombs made in U.S. find their way into many corners of the world.

Nobody doubts that the continent is a priority for geographic reasons, but to believe everything that U.S. leadership publicly expresses — for example, that the United States’ interests “are inextricably linked with Asia’s economic security and political order” — definitely opens an abyss. If you don’t believe me, ask the Iraqis, Afghans, Pakistanis, or better yet, the Libyans.