Land Power in the Asia Pacific

Spend a few moments with this piece from Armed Forces Journal entitled "Back to Reality:  Why Land Power Trumps in the National Re-balance Toward Asia."  Although I am not persuaded that the author makes the case for land power "trump"ing anything, there is a considerable amount of impressive thought here about the role of (U.S.) land power in Asia, and some really insightful thinking about AirSea Battle, conventional deterrence and escalation. 

Anyone who thinks conflict with China in the Asia-Pacific will leave out ground forces is mistaken.  If such a conflict comes, China will almost certainly seek to extend its defensive perimeter against U.S. power projection forces, and this will almost certainly involve the PLA seizing land from nations with which we have treaty obligations or with which we are increasingly friendly.  Land power--and a lot of it--will be needed.  But it won't get there unless the Navy and Air Force can create operational seams in the A2AD environment, and it won't survive long without the ability to neutralize PLA advantages in the missile bombardment campaign. 

Major Chamberlain also is insightful about the role of land based air and missile defense forces in shaping the operational environment. I was particularly gratified to read his advocacy of increased air and missile defense force structure within the Army TOA.  Hopefully this thinking will catch on.

Bryan McGrath