ABSTRACT
Any assessment of the US security position in the Western Pacific must consider three factors: the contribution of the US military presence to O.S. relationships with friends and allies; the contribution to deterrence of potential aggressors; and O.S. war-fighting capabilities. US military power affects these factors in symbolic and material ways. The US military position in the Western Pacific is better in terms of symbols and perceptions. Friends and allies show less concern about the United States disengaging from security commitments in the region. US perceptions focus on three sources of threat: the Soviet Union, North Korea, and Vietnam. The Soviet Union is asserting its influence in East Asia, seeking a restructuring of political and economic relationships in the region, and it is building up its military power in support of policy objectives. North Korea's principal military option appears to be a massive invasion of South Korea.
