United States Pacific Command Head Visits Philippine President Aquino

[Lorenzo]

MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa would most likely discuss with the visiting US Pacific Command chief, Admiral Samuel Locklear III, the increased Chinese intrusion in Philippine waters, the AFP spokesman said on Monday.

Dellosa and select top AFP officials proceeded to their closed-door meeting with Locklear after the arrival honors given to the American admiral at the Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters.

Locklear’s party arrived in Camp Aguinaldo at 3:25 p.m., almost half an hour behind schedule.

Dellosa afterwards took Locklear for another meeting with top defense officials at the nearby Department of National Defense headquarters.

Left to face reporters, Col. Arnulfo Burgos, the AFP spokesman, said the incidents and confrontations at the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and Hasa-Hasa (Half Moon) Shoal were expected to be tackled in the discussion as these were “among the security issues that have bearing on regional security and stability.”

Burgos said the timing of Locklear’s visit was not connected to the embarrassing departure on Sunday of a Chinese warship that was stranded for four days in Hasa-Hasa Shoal while on “routine patrol.”

Hasa-Hasa Shoal is only 60 nautical miles from the main Palawan island and therefore well within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

“Admiral Locklear’s visit is a continuation of the series of engagements started by the chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (General Martin Dempsey). This will further promote peace and stability in the Pacific region,” Burgos said.

He said the talks would cover “West Philippine Sea security… (and will) include efforts on counter-terrorism, bilateral training, the Pacific Partnership that further enhance defense ties and partnership with the US armed forces.”

In a brief statement, DND spokesman Peter Galvez said the discussion covered “deepening of cooperation, assistance and support activities in maritime domain awareness, information sharing, capability upgrading and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, among others.”

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/44489/afp-chief-us-pacific-command-chief-likely-to-discuss-spratlys-dispute

[Lorenzo]

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

[Lorenzo]

What is the US Pacific Command?


The United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM), who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving within its area of responsibility (AOR).

It is the oldest and largest of the Unified Combatant Commands. It is based in Honolulu, Hawai'i on the island of O'ahu.

The main combat power of USPACOM is formed by U.S. Army Pacific, Marine Forces Pacific, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Pacific Air Forces, all headquartered in Honolulu with component forces stationed throughout the region.

[Lorenzo]

Admiral Locklear standing in attention with Philippine counterparts

[Lorenzo]

There are many Fleets that make up the US Pacific Command, two of the most prominent are the 5th and the 7th US Naval Fleets. It is the 7th US Naval Fleet that covers the Philippines and will protect the Philippines in case the Philippines is attacked by a military power.

How does the 7th Fleet Look Like?


 a Carrier Battle Group of the 7th Fleet.

[chicogon]

Admiral Locklear standing in attention with Philippine counterparts

Taas nga pagka tawo...

[Lorenzo]

He he he he, he is the supreme commander of the largest naval force in the world. All in all, some 6 aircraft carrier battle groups are under his command. 1 carrier battle group of the US Navy is strong enough to send the entire Chinese Navy to the bottom of the pacific ocean.


note: The US Navy operates 11 super aircraft carriers throughout the world's oceans. 6 of these belong to the Pacific Command.

[Lorenzo]

Admiral Locklear, Supreme Commander of United States Armed Forces Pacific Command, given a formal welcome.

[Lorenzo]

Admiral Locklear talks with Sec. Albert Del Rosario

[Lorenzo]

Admiral Locklear, Commander of the Pacific Command, meets with Aquino.
His presence reaffirms the strategic alliance between Washington and Manila.

[islander]

i must admit it's reassuring on one hand.  on the other, i'm afraid we're just a pawn in the game of superpowers.  china's current behavior in the west philippine sea (south china sea to the rest of the world) is more like testing the waters of how the u.s. will react. 

chinese thinking could be something like "the u.s. exercises power in the atlantic and just about any other sea, and it is not even a signatory of the unclos.  so why not us in the immediate neighboring sea?"

oh, well, a bully who sides with us in the world's playground is much better than a bully who simply bullies and kicks us off our seesaw.

[Lorenzo]

Admiral Locklear visited the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial to honor the American war dead who gave the ultimate sacrifice to liberate the Philippines from Imperial Japan in World War II.

[Lorenzo]

i must admit it's reassuring on one hand.  on the other, i'm afraid we're just a pawn in the game of superpowers.  china's current behavior in the west philippine sea (south china sea to the rest of the world) is more like testing the waters of how the u.s. will react. 

chinese thinking could be something like "the u.s. exercises power in the atlantic and just about any other sea, and it is not even a signatory of the unclos.  so why not us in the immediate neighboring sea?"

oh, well, a bully who sides with us in the world's playground is much better than a bully who simply bullies and kicks us off our seesaw.

The United States is implementing a strategic shift by which by 2020, 60% of the US Navy will be situated in the Asia-Pacific. The United States is a maritine power, always has, and always will be. The West Philippine Sea (SCS) is of vital national interest for the United States because $5 TRILLION worth of American trade traverses these waters. The United States wants to make sure there is freedom of navigation in these waters. Chinese hegemony over this region is contrary to the interests of the United States.

The Philippines will benefit much from American military presence in the region; the United States has reiterated its commitment to help the Philippines modernize its armed forces and to help build a credible territorial defense system.

I believe the Chinese have grossly underestimated the American resolve to help the Philippines , that and also they have underestimated the level of cooperation between the two powers.

China's blatant aggressive posture has caused itself to be alienated by regional powers: Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and certain other ASEAN member states.

What ever happened to the Chinese claim of a 'peaceful' rise?

[islander]

In June, Locklear visited China, the first by a command chief in four years.  China suspended military exchanges in early 2010 over US arms sales to Taiwan.

He later said that among the issues discussed with the Chinese authorities was China’s claims over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

While he reiterated that the United States had not taken sides in the territorial disputes, he maintained that “whatever happens in that part of the world has to be resolved peacefully and without coercion.”

Locklear also said that the United States was concerned about China’s maritime claims that would hinder freedom of trade and movement through international waters.

“This is a place where we diverge, and [that] has caused difficulties. So we have to keep working with [China] on that and we have to keep working to ensure that as we disagree on that, it doesn’t lead to miscalculation that drives us in a direction we don’t want to go,” Locklear said. (more at http://globalnation.inquirer.net/44529/in-the-know-admiral-samuel-j-locklear-iii)


DOD photograph by Army SSgt. Carl N. Hudson
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command,
speaks at China’s Academy of Military Sciences in Beijing, June 27, 2012.

[hubag bohol]

i must admit it's reassuring on one hand.  on the other, i'm afraid we're just a pawn in the game of superpowers.

Calling ourselves a pawn is grandiose enough...

[bugsay]

Calling ourselves a pawn is grandiose enough...

way seguro'g ma mate ang kontra.....

[Lorenzo]

[davidguetta]

thanks for this share