"Pacifism Is Not the Answer...
We Must Be Prepared to Defend, Especially in Asia"
Elbridge Colby, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy, stated on August 14 (local time) that "we all need to contribute and be prepared to shoulder the burden of collective defense" in a message directed at allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Colby emphasized, "The lessons of the Pacific War are clear. Pacifism is not the answer. Rather, peace through strength is the answer. This is the policy message we are delivering to our Asia-Pacific allies."
These remarks are drawing attention, as they can be interpreted as a call for allies in the Asia-Pacific region to cooperate militarily in order to counter China, which is both the United States' global hegemonic competitor and its greatest threat.
Colby further stated, "The lessons of war are clear. Our military must be prepared to fight and defend against aggression targeting our core interests, and this is especially true in Asia." He added, "We must have an industrial base to support this." He went on to stress, "Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, we are making every effort to meet these standards."
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