By Alan Jones | November 7, 2017
(1776 CHANNEL) – President Trump, during a November 5, 2017 speech at Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, Japan, thanked U.S. service members and their families for their sacrifice and patriotism. The Commander-in-Chief’s visit comes amid increasing threats from North Korea and China to America’s allies in the region.
President Trump’s address echoed with Ronald Reagan’s ‘peace through strength” doctrine. Trump reintroduced Americans to the ‘peace through strength’ concept while on the campaign trail. Trump’s support for a strong military in defense of American allies marks a 180 degree reversal in strategic direction from the United States policy implemented over the past eight years.
President Obama’s detractors derisively called the Obama doctrine one of “leading from behind.” ‘Leading from behind’ is a phrase that falls short of calling out the Obama administration’s practice of providing reliable support to America’s adversaries, including Iran and Russia.
Much of the President Trump’s speech at the air base focused on the importance of the alliance between Japan and the United States.
“Our alliance is a testament to the transformative power of freedom. Today, nations that once waged war now stand together as friends and partners in pursuit of a much better world” President Trump stated.
President Trump also tried to reassured U.S. troops that America maintains air and sea superiority and promised to provide them with new equipment:
We dominate the sky, we dominate the sea, we dominate the land and space — (applause) — not merely because we have the best equipment, which we do — and, by the way, a lot of it’s coming in; you saw that budget. That’s a lot different than in the past. A lot of beautiful, brand new equipment is coming in. And nobody makes it like they make it in the United States. Nobody. (Applause.) Got a lot of stuff coming. Use it well.
China’s increasingly aggressive behavior in the disputed South China Sea presents a growing challenge to the U.S. military’s historic dominance of the Pacific region.
Todd J. Stein, in an opinion piece published today at “The Hill,” put it bluntly: “China is preparing for war with America.”
China is building artificial islands in the South China Sea and is reportedly testing a new dredging technology, the so-called “magic island maker” according to a new report out today from “Construction Global,” which cites Chinese state media reports.
President Trump made a direct reference to the Korean War during his speech at Yokota Air Base:
From Yokota’s runways, American pilots took to the air and drove back the invaders during the Korean War. Tremendous courage. Tremendous bravery. From here, they enforced a precious peace during a long and bitter Cold War.
The Korean War never technically ended. The delicate Korean Armistice Agreement, signed in 1953, is in danger of falling apart as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un continues to threaten the U.S. and Japan.
Japanese authorities sounded air raid sirens on August 29, 2017 after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan.
President Trump’s five-nation tour of Asia over a span of thirteen days will also take him to South Korea, The Philippines, China and Vietnam.
