The ASEAN Regional Forum: Asian Security without an American Umbrella.

Abstract

The author argues that Asia is looking for stability and that U.S. support for the goals of ASEAN, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, offers a unique opportunity to foster stability, prosperity, and the furthering of democracy in that region. Therefore, the author contends, multilateral dialogues, supported by the kind of credibility that results when policy and diplomacy have the support of strong, ready military forces, is needed. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF), first held in July 1994 in Bangkok, Thailand, is a unique, Asian-led experiment in multilateral security in Asia. It took shape at a time when the United States seemed to have withdrawn from its leading role in regional and world security, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. In fact, according to quotes attributed to a senior Chinese leader by former Assistant Secretary of Defense Charles Freeman, despite assurances from Washington, the perception in Asia is that the United States would never trade one of its cities (Los Angeles was the city in question) for the goal of securing peace for one of its friends in Asia.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 13, 1996
Accession Number
ADA324934

Entities

People

  • Larry M. Wortzel

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Diplomacy
  • Families (Human)
  • Governments
  • Intellectual Property
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Market Economy
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Political Science
  • Security
  • Sociopolitics
  • Southeast Asia
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Academic Conference Management
  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies