In defense of of the Pax Americana in Northeast Asia

I should put this post from last fall in my blog roll at right. It still sums up what I feel is an important but often discounted point of view. I guess one way I might change it is that I think the sheriff analogy can be supplemented with the metaphor of the US presence in this highly charged part of the world as a ground plug preventing wayward sparks.

For those of you too lazy to read it, the American presence in Northeast Asia and the American presence alone provides the security needed to maintain stability here, something that bodes well not just for American allies, but also for American values and commerce. It is worth every penny.