Policy shift to Asia is 'real': Panetta
The United States yesterday insisted that its much-touted shift to the Asia-Pacific region is for real as US and Australian officials met for annual strategic talks.
US Pentagon chief Leon Panetta told reporters before flying into Perth that the Americans were ready to follow through on a plan to pivot to the Pacific despite crises in the Middle East and fiscal strains at home.
"The rebalance is real. It's going to be long-term," Panetta said.
The United States is expanding military exercises with allies and gradually moving its most advanced ships, weaponry and aircraft to Asia -- including deploying Marines to northern Australia -- as part of a long-term strategy, he said.
But that did not mean having to scale back its military presence in the volatile Middle East, Panetta said. "I feel very comfortable with regards to how we're dealing with threats in the Middle East," he said.
It was possible for the American military "to walk and chew gum at the same time", said Panetta, in his third trip to Asia since June.
In what could be her final visit Down Under in her current job, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined Panetta for the talks with Australian counterparts Bob Carr and Stephen Smith.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the two countries as "good mates at every level".
The talks in Perth are expected to focus on regional security and greater American use of Australian military facilities, particularly increased access to a key naval base south of Perth as the Indian Ocean rim region grows in strategic importance.
The talks follow the arrival of about 250 US Marines in northern Australia this year as part of an American "rebalance" towards the Pacific after a decade of ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The US military currently has only a limited footprint in longstanding ally Australia, including the Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility spy station near Alice Springs.
The move to station Marines here -- some 2,500 by 2016-17 -- represents a significant strategic shift by Washington and has irked Beijing, whose rapid rise is behind the US recalibration of forces to Asia.
Gillard planned to host a dinner for Hillary and Panetta yesterday and said the talks would touch on Afghanistan, the civil war in Syria and Iran's nuclear programme.
Gillard described Washington as "the oldest of allies" with strong shared strategic, defence and economic bonds.
"We've been in an alliance for more than 60 years and we are good mates at every level," she said.
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