1. Thinking Strategically About Asia Andrew Scobell Bush School of Government and Public Service Texas A&M University 23 January 2009

2. How do I cover Asian Security in the classroom? In stimulating students to think about Asia strategically a teacher can: Apply International relations theory Explore relevance of global security issues Explore non-traditional security issues Employ a U.S. policy perspective Take a geopolitical approach

3. A US Policy Perspective Words matter….. Asia or Asia-Pacific? –Asia is a geographic term that excludes the US or at least makes the US peripheral. –Asia-Pacific is a more inclusive term that makes the US more relevant and involved. The US is not an Asian Power but we are an Asia-Pacific Power. The US now has its first Asia-Pacific President –Obama was born & grew up in the region (Hawaii and Indonesia).

4. Geopolitics The entire Asia-Pacific region is very important to the US for many reasons BUT some countries are more important to the US than others. Some states strategically very important to us in positive or negative ways. We can call such states ‘pivotal states’ or ‘states of strategic significance.’

5. Powder Keg and Linchpin States We can divide such states into ones that are ‘Power keg’ and Linchpin’: Power keg states are “volatile countries upon which the stability of the region or subregion hinge.” –Tend to be dictatorships or weak democracies with chronic severe political, economic, and/or societal problems. There is significant potential for a national crisis, state collapse, and/or military conflict that can easily destabilize the entire (sub) region. Linchpin states are “stable countries that ensure the peace and prosperity of the region or subregion.” –Tend to be established democracies that are “favorably disposed toward the US.”

7. Pivotal States (sub) regionLinchpinPowder Keg Asia-Pacific United StatesChina Northeast AsiaJapanNorth Korea Southeast Asia/ South Pacific AustraliaIndonesia South AsiaIndiaPakistan

8. For more discussion on this topic see…. Andrew Scobell, “The Alliance and the Asia-Pacific Region: An American Perspective,” in McCausland et al., eds., The Other Special Relationship:The United States and Australia at the Start of the 21 st Century (Strategic Studies Institute, 2007),.pp. 77-107 accessable @ www.StrategicStudiesInstitute.army.mil www.StrategicStudiesInstitute.army.mil