1、HighlightThinking Smarter About DefenseAPRIL 2012THE GEOSTRATEGIC RETURN OF THE PHILIPPINES By Jim Thomas and Harry FosterAs the Obama administration executes its strategic“pivot”to the Western Pacific in the face of Chinas military buildup,it is rediscovering the importance of a long-standing ally
2、in the region.Like Gibraltar half a world away,the Philippines lie at a vital maritime crossroads through which passes more than half of the worlds shipping tonnage and 80 percent of crude oil shipments headed to Japan and South Korea.The strategic importance of this archipelago nation is enduring.O
3、ver a century ago,the famed US naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan extolled the importance of the Philippines“narrow seas.”For much of the twentieth century,it played a central role in US strategy as a key logistics node for American air and naval forces and the geostrategic linchpin between East a
4、nd Southeast Asia.Following the Cold War,however,a series of diplomatic missteps saw the U.S.withdraw its forces from the Philippines,to the misfortune of both countries.The Americans have become overly dependent on Okinawa and Guam for basing,putting more and more military“eggs”in these two increas
