Publication

Much attention has been devoted to the Obama administration's 'Pacific Pivot'. Commentators have ascribed various rationales to this move, including speculation that this is part of a 'containment' strategy towards China, a reaction to the US presidential election cycle, or, more benignly, an effort to forestall concerns of American withdrawal from the region. These explanations have some elements of truth, but also fall short of fully describing or understanding the strategic rationale behind this move.