• With the outbreak of the September 11 Incident, the US is seen to be
focusing on the launch of a global war on terror in combating the
threat from of the Middle East and Afghanistan
• US attention to SEA became much less as revealed by its absence
from the ARF meetings even though it regards the sub-region as the
second front against terrorism because of the threat in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and elsewhere
• Fortunately, with the election of Obama, there is an apparent change
to rebalance its strategy . Not only will the US withdraw from Iraq and
Afghanistan and enhance its military presence in the Asia-Pacific, but
it would also serve as a pivot to the region