Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced Wednesday that U.S. Pacific Command would now be called U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, in the latest move to counter Chinese economic and military pressure in the region.
Mattis said he directed the name change in recognition that “all nations large and small are essential to the region, in order to sustain stability in ocean areas critical to global peace.”
RELATED
The withdrawn invite follows a directive by the Pentagon to remove Chinese cellphones, other devices from exchanges over espionage fears.
Mattis made the remarks at the change of command ceremony in Pearl Harbor for incoming INDOPACOM commander Adm. Phil Davidson.
“In recognition of the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, today we rename the U.S. Pacific Command to U.S.-Indo Pacific Command,” Mattis said.
While Mattis stressed that the change was not meant to be combative, it did signal America’s commitment to ensure that every country “no matter its size …. [is] not bound by any nation’s predatory economics or threat of coercion.”
RELATED
A routine freedom of navigation operation is the latest in a series of events escalating tensions between the countries.
However, outgoing commander of the former U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Adm. Harry Harris, was more direct in his assessment of China’s impact on the region.
“Great power competition is back,” Harris said. “I believe we are reaching an inflection point in history…. A geo-political competition between free and oppressive visions is taking place in the Indo-Pacific.”
Tara Copp is the Pentagon Bureau Chief for Military Times and author of the award-winning military nonfiction "The Warbird: Three Heroes. Two Wars. One Story."
President Joe Biden is bestowing the nation’s highest military honor to four Army soldiers for their heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Vietnam War.
Judges should deliver their decision in the coming weeks.
Putin has declared victory in the eastern Ukraine region of Luhansk, but the high cost of Russian gains may limit a new advance.
Retired Vice Adm. Rich Brown was named accountable for the loss of the amphibious ship Bonhomme Richard but was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing in December. Six months later, he's facing censure from the Navy secretary.
The last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol.
Sunday’s statement comes as North Korea’s neighbors say the country is ready for its first nuclear test in five years
Air Force linguists scrambled to keep up through the Afghanistan withdrawal and, now, the war in Ukraine.
"Our head is above water, but I'm not sure for how long," one soldier said of his family.
Relatives say Lois “Bunny” Drueke spoke to her son Alexander Drueke, one of two Alabama veterans captured earlier this month in Ukraine, via telephone.
Four wives of fighter pilots dish the details you don’t see in the Hollywood films on this episode of The Spouse Angle.
:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-mco.s3.amazonaws.com/public/GRBTQQOGCBG7XMF4Q4FLP2JTAA.jpg)
:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-mco.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5UN7IKMAGNDRRJGCL5BU2PS5EU.jpg)
:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-mco.s3.amazonaws.com/public/LXKCECEKNJEKZHWMTCTDZILKCQ.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/KOQH2KJCSJFOLMIOJBFF45P5RI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/GSNEIXHF2VET3PHYYF5ZX4BAXU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/HNFLCQPLXFAATBKLWULLVKBCSA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/MQHF573665CKZASAWYO22GS4TI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/2RRDQBK3O5HUTGBQKWHGRXOSKM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/F2WWZX4TONA5JFRLZCERGIT32E.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/7WDB4KSCSBAGHAVLB7OW24QUSE.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/2XK3SULC6NDEJKLI75BICYUVCM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/CZWALEZPG5DKJLZWZZPFUAE33A.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/LVUTEX2XKREWRL32C73EGDB6YE.png)