In defense of investments: US hegemony in Asia Pacific

By APRN | July 04, 2020

American independence has been based on the enslavement of Native Americans and peoples of color domestically; the primacy of neoliberal globalization clothed with the tenets of liberal democracy; and, its foreign policy of imposing unfair trade relations and flexing its military power to maintain global hegemony.

The rise of US military dominance after World War II was in pursuit of its policy of containment and interventionism. Its alliance with 30 countries from Europe and North America through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has justified the maintenance of military bases and facilities across the world to ‘protect the people and the territories of its allies.’

While the declared purpose is to prevent conflict, the strategic positioning of US troops has served to preserve their economic interests by meddling in local affairs, diverting policies to ensure their gains, and interfering with the sovereignty of many independent nations.

A major effect of American troop presence has compromised several communities in the areas surrounding these bases. Reports of human rights violations have increased and counter-insurgency programs have harmed innocent civilians in the countryside.

Currently concerned with the rise of a rival superpower in China, the US has become more aggressive in its strategy of containment by beefing up its military settlements in the Asia Pacific to protect investments and ensure political influence in key countries. This dynamic concerning the two superpowers has affected nearby countries and partners, allowing both to set up undeclared alliances in a battle not just for positioning and regional dominance, but also for the probability of war.

On the day of American independence, APRN calls for the eviction of overt and covert US bases, military installations, and settlements in Asia Pacific. APRN also calls for a pull-out of US troops in the region and the termination of the incentivization of war. The Network calls for genuine independence from the US hegemonic agenda, as well as from similar powers such as China’s domineering tactics disguised as soft-power diplomacy.

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