Quite a quote from CINCPAC (oops, I mean Commander Pacific Command):
The budget situation was one of Locklear’s main concerns, but not his No. 1 challenge -- that goes to relations with North Korea.“North Korea remains, in my perspective, the most dangerous security threat to global security that’s out there,” Locklear said. “It’s easy to become numb or anesthetized to North Korea because our grandfathers dealt with it, our fathers dealt with it … but we can’t take our eye off of it and certainly can’t become numb to the continuous cycle of provocation in North Korea.”
Pacific Command's boss talks military challenges, opportunities
Adm. Samuel Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, has a lot on his plate.
He discussed the challenges and opportunities within his area of responsibility -- which runs from “Hollywood to Bollywood” and includes 60 percent of the world’s population -- at an SDMAC breakfast at Naval Base Point Loma Tuesday, underscoring the important role he hopes San Diego will continue to play in the Navy’s rebalance to the Pacific, though looming budget cuts in 2016 pose a threat.
The budget situation was one of Locklear’s main concerns, but not his No. 1 challenge -- that goes to relations with North Korea.
“North Korea remains, in my perspective, the most dangerous security threat to global security that’s out there,” Locklear said. “It’s easy to become numb or anesthetized to North Korea because our grandfathers dealt with it, our fathers dealt with it … but we can’t take our eye off of it and certainly can’t become numb to the continuous cycle of provocation in North Korea.”
Escalating tensions in the East China and South China seas also topped the admiral’s challenges in his AOR, tensions that he said really stem from a resource management -- food and energy -- perspective as the world’s population climbs. He said he’s keeping an eye on Russia as well, though it doesn’t currently pose a significant threat to U.S. national security.
The rise of China is next on his list, as the country tries to amass an appropriately-sized defense fleet while maintaining transparency. China’s participation in the Rim of the Pacific exercises for the first time, and San Diego hosting a Chinese warship recently, will go a long way to this end.
Adm. Samuel Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, spoke to attendees at an SDMAC breakfast at Naval Base Point Loma Tuesday. Staff photo by Katherine Connor
“They’re building a military that’s primarily designed, I think, to counter a U.S. capability,” Locklear said. “They are struggling with how they employ that military in a way that’s more transparent so things like bringing them into RIMPAC and bringing them to San Diego encourage that transparency.”
The last geographic-related challenge his force faces is providing humanitarian aid for an increasing number of catastrophic weather events, primarily in Southeast Asia.
The budget crisis and uncertainty surrounding the possibility of sequestration in 2016 is a major concern.
“I would say that in my time in leadership positions and in the time that I spent in budgeting and building programs for the Navy, we’re probably, from a Joint Force perspective, in the most tumultuous, uncertain time that we’ve ever been in,” Locklear said.
Should no legislative budget decision be reached in time and sequestration be put back in effect, Locklear said the maintenance and repair side of military operations would be the first to feel the pain, which doesn’t bode well for San Diego and doesn’t bode well for national security.
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