Donald Trump’s top national security adviser, Robert C. O’Brien, has urged the Pentagon to deploy the “entire” Marine Corps in the Middle East and North Africa amid growing China’s military presence in the Pacific.
O’Brien made the call in a Foreign Affairs op-ed published on Tuesday. He wrote that the Defence Department should consider “relieving” the Marine Corps of missions in other parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, to focus on the Pacific.
The navy should also move one of its aircraft carriers from the Atlantic to the Pacific and send refurbished, decommissioned Navy ships to the Philippines,” he added.
“U.S. bases in the Pacific often lack adequate missile defences and fighter jet protection — a scandalous deficiency that the Defence Department should fix by quickly shifting resources from elsewhere,” O’Brien wrote.
While O’Brien’s piece focuses on the growing presence of China in the Pacific, he urged the U.S. to build up the armed forces of its Pacific allies, devote more U.S. military resources to the region, and fix systemic problems within its ranks.
He said Congress should also help build up the militaries of Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam by offering them “the kinds of grants, loans, and weapons transfers that the United States has long provided Israel.
O’Brien reacted to the Biden administration’s military approach, noting that only the Marine Corps and Space Force met their goals last year.
He attributed the shortfall to a lack of confidence that young Americans and their families have in the purpose and mission of the military.
He also urged investing more in developing hypersonic missiles, which he said Trump’s second term would pursue.
Meanwhile, Russia, like China, is increasing its military presence in the Pacific region.
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