US bound to lose supremacy in W. Pacific

The Trump administration on Tuesday gave its budget proposals for fiscal year 2018, which includes a 10 percent increase in the defense budget, an increase of $ 52.4 billion over 2017 to $ 574.5 billion.

The US spends as much money on its military as the next eight countries, but it still seeks more. To make his figures add up, Trump has proposed cutting at least $ 610 billion from Medicaid and more than $ 192 billion from food stamps over a decade. Federal funding for the agriculture sector, international aid and environmental protection will also be cut. Washington now looks like Pyongyang in pursuing a “military first” politics.

Proposing a higher defense budget is caused by a fragile strategic confidence in the US, like some people obsessed with stashing food or cash for a sense of security, even if they don’t need to. It is difficult to say whether the whole of the US, or just part of the country, is obsessed with pursuing an absolute military advantage. Otherwise, the US will be regarded as a country in decay.

Some American elites would rather spend the country’s wealth on weaponry. The world can do nothing about that. But what is worrying is that Washington won’t use its military advantage just for show, but will flaunt it around the world as a tool to realize American interests. The US has squeezed its budget on international aid, but benefits acquired from the world cannot be reduced. It is where its military will be used and thus means danger for the future world.

It is analyzed that the Pentagon will focus more on anti- access and area de- nial, which it thinks is its biggest problem encountered in the Western Pacific. This means that when needed, the US military is not able to go to a certain area or an entry would face a huge risk. Its new goal is to navigate freely in the Western Pacific.

The US hopes that any country in the world is as weak as Iraq or Serbia in military power, which means a huge gap in military strength between the US and that of other countries. The US is probably very eager to find such a feeling in Russia and China.

Unfortunately, it is certain US military supremacy in the Western Pacific will be weakened or even eroded. With globalization, the gap in military power between the US and that of other countries is getting smaller.

Neither China nor Russia will be so stupid that as they see the US enhance its military power, they will not do the same.

China does not need to engage in an arms race with the US, but just develop military strength based on its economic development, which will narrow the gap with the US on military power. China spares itself a lot of trouble as it pursues military growth after improving people’s livelihoods, but the US is doing it the opposite way, cutting funding for public welfare to fill military needs, creating strain on its system.

The US will lose its position of supremacy in the Western Pacific in the long- run and the process, driven by multiple factors, will not be reversed, unless the whole US wants to tighten its belt.

It is suggested that Washington should rationally position the US’ military advantage in the future.