Is It Worth It?

SINCE THE BEGINNING of its history, and particularly since the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States has considered the Caribbean to be, essentially, under American jurisdiction. First, the Monroe doctrine. Then, the Spanish-American War. Since the end of World War Two, the U.S. has similarly regarded the pacific ocean. An American diplomat or senior naval officer would be happy to show you pictures of Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul, South Korea at the end of World War Two, and today, and would probably point out that the magnificent reconstruction and prosperity of those cities is protected by American naval forces. Be that as it may, there is a new kid on the block. China is turning the western portion of the pacific into a Chinese domain, building naval bases on islands, and is now engaged in the building of four new aircraft carriers to add to their current one and only, a refurbished model purchased dirt cheap several years ago from, if memory serves, the Ukraine. President Obama, listening to his military advisers, has begun a "pivot to the pacific", a new plan to place greater emphasis on American military and economic strength to the west, as Asia rises in world military and economic rankings. where will it all end? Or will it ever end? If one considers that half the world's wealth is poured into military concerns, one begins to wonder whether all the competition is worth it.