Someday Jim Thomas is
gonna be under secretary of Defense for policy or an NSC bigwig, so you might
as well start reading him now. He has a
very strong piece in the new issue of The American Interest
about how to reformulate American alliances.
We're going to have to
change the way have thought about our alliances for the last 73 years, Thomas
says, because we can't afford to keep playing Uncle Sugar. Also, the military
realities are changing, with more potential adversaries acquiring high-tech
weaponry that will enable them to establish what he calls "keep-out zones."
So, he says, members of the
eastern part of NATO and some other allies will ned to "assume greater
responsibility for the initial defense" of their territories. As part of this,
we will need to help them develop their own "anti-access capabilities." This
would mean a major reorientation of our arms merchants, he continues, and so,
"Instead of always reaching for the next level of technological innovation ,
America's defense industry might have to focus more on making systems more
affordable for U.S. allies."
Meanwhile, he says, members
of the old school part of NATO should ensure they have power projection
capabiltities to aid their eastern neighbors.
In South and East Asia, he
wants to see "shared access" to bases, rather than permanent "Little America"
garrisons. And he puts India at the top of his list of new U.S. allies.
I'd be interested in what JT
thinks we should do about Pakistan now.
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