Before they get here, I should note that Marines generally don't consider anybody who wasn't dishonorably discharged "former." "Retired" or "veteran" are generally preferred, unless he's using "former" himself.
So the withdraw from Afghanistan rates a mulligan and not a net positive in your view?
Not to praise the execution, but that is about the biggest show of restraint from a U.S. President since the withdrawal from Iraq. I'd argue it was a greater show of de-militarization than the Iran deal because there was a mutually beneficial outcome on the table there that wasn't in the cards with the Taliban since Bush botched the initial opportunities decades ago. The reason the withdrawal from Afghanistan didn't happen during the Obama administration was a sense by the crisis manager types of the fragility of the Afghan government.
I realize that's not the focus of your piece, but c'mon man. Addressing economic insecurity and informalization of workforce is a plausible path to a much better future for Asia, but that's also a long term solution that doesn't ensure an ability to bypass a range present day security dilemmas in the Pacific. Most any policy involving dramatic shifts in hard power is going to come with some ugly downsides. This is not to say it wouldn't be potentially worth it. I'm rather skeptical but you put together a robust argument in the Pacific Power Paradox that's worth considering.
"also a former Marine"
Before they get here, I should note that Marines generally don't consider anybody who wasn't dishonorably discharged "former." "Retired" or "veteran" are generally preferred, unless he's using "former" himself.
So the withdraw from Afghanistan rates a mulligan and not a net positive in your view?
Not to praise the execution, but that is about the biggest show of restraint from a U.S. President since the withdrawal from Iraq. I'd argue it was a greater show of de-militarization than the Iran deal because there was a mutually beneficial outcome on the table there that wasn't in the cards with the Taliban since Bush botched the initial opportunities decades ago. The reason the withdrawal from Afghanistan didn't happen during the Obama administration was a sense by the crisis manager types of the fragility of the Afghan government.
I realize that's not the focus of your piece, but c'mon man. Addressing economic insecurity and informalization of workforce is a plausible path to a much better future for Asia, but that's also a long term solution that doesn't ensure an ability to bypass a range present day security dilemmas in the Pacific. Most any policy involving dramatic shifts in hard power is going to come with some ugly downsides. This is not to say it wouldn't be potentially worth it. I'm rather skeptical but you put together a robust argument in the Pacific Power Paradox that's worth considering.