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The harsh reality behind Hegseth’s fine words in Singapore
America’s allies and friends have good reasons to be cautious about the mismatch between its words and actions.
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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth arriving for a trilateral meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Ten years ago this month, I was invited by the US government to travel in a US Marine Corp MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft transporting then US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter for a flight over the Malacca Strait – a gesture meant to emphasise America’s muscular commitment to South-east Asia, and determination to keep the sea lanes of communication open.
Mr Carter, a veteran Pentagon official who rose to the top job after serving 11 secretaries of defence, had told the American media just weeks earlier that in terms of the Barack Obama administration’s “rebalance” to Asia, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement “is as important to me as another aircraft carrier. It would deepen our alliances and partnerships abroad and underscore our lasting commitment to the Asia-Pacific”.
