Departs from the series' examination of the armed forces of countries actually in Asia to assess those the Last Standing Superpower has stationed in the region. Weeks, with 20 years in the US Navy, and Meconis, an advocate of arms control, describe the structure and roles within the overall context of the official US national security interests, strategy, and policy as they relate to the region. Primarily they limit themselves to factual information, with little critical analysis. Distributed in the US by St. Martin's Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
For over half a century, since Pearl Harbor brought the US into the Pacific War, America has been a dominant military power in Asia, challenged only by the then Soviet Union and China. This is the first unclassified account of America's military stake and current defensive and offensive capacity in Asia. It analyzes the role of US armed forces in Asia, including deterrent nuclear forces, in the context of defense policy and strategy. The possible future of US forces in the region is considered, and the book also considers the views of Asian nations on America’s continuing presence.
