Australia ‘critical’ to US

AUSTRALIA is a “critical pillar” in the US pivot to Asia and the rebalancing of its military strategy, the region’s most senior American commander says.

Australia ‘critical’ to US Asia strategy

AUSTRALIA is a “critical pillar” in the US pivot to Asia and the rebalancing of its military strategy, the region’s most senior American commander says.

Chief of US Pacific Command (PACOM) Samuel Locklear, speaking in a teleconference from Hawaii, said the key US ally was vital in the world order that is emerging for the 21st Century.

Admiral Locklear said the challenges the US faced included climate change, maritime security, disaster relief and cyber security.

“All those things I view from the PACOM headquarters here, Australia is a critical pillar of the strategy we have here,” Admiral Locklear said.

“When… I go down to Canberra and I sit and I look at the world map from Australia being in the centre of it, I get a very different view than I get from Hawaii or from Washington DC.

“And I start to have a sense of the things of the security environment that concerned people of Australia as well as people in Indonesia, in India and other countries.”

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Article and image source: The Australian.