June 4th 2003
By GREG ANSLEY
CANBERRA - The United States will not ask Australia to provide bases for its Okinawa-based marine brigade, but is expected to significantly increase exercises in the country and transfer more Navy crews through Australian ports.
Washington has also raised the status of the Philippines to a "major non-Nato ally", announcing new joint assaults on the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, and plans to provide new hardware for Manila's defence forces.
In South Korea, the Pentagon plans to restructure its 37,000 strong force, including boosting to battle readiness the front-line 2nd infantry division. It also has plans for new missiles and improved military intelligence.
And Washington will continue with its controversial theatre missile defence shield to protect not only the US but also friends and allies - including Australia, which has signalled its intention to join the programme.
The moves follow a global shake-up of America's military might in the wake of September 11, and a decision to reshape its forces in the Pacific to meet new threats.
"We're facing a very different threat than the one we have faced historically," Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told a security conference in Singapore.
"Our forces have very different kinds of capabilities, dramatically different capabilities, than we've had before.
"It's appropriate to look at how some of those forces are postured, how we can get the most effectiveness out of them - in this region, the same basic commitments to stability and deterrence that we've had all along."
Recent reports, including a major story last week in the Los Angeles Times, said the US intended to move its marine brigade out of Okinawa, with up to 15,000 troops transferring to new bases in Australia.
But Wolfowitz said the report - which caused concern in both Australia and New Zealand - was "simply wrong" and without foundation.
Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill confirmed Washington had made no approach to Canberra about the possibility of basing more troops in the country.
"There was some [media] suggestion that they may seek to relocate substantial forces from Okinawa to Australia and they've now said that that's not so, and it didn't make sense to me in any event," Hill said.
After talks with Wolfowitz in Singapore, Hill said the US presence in East Asia had been maintained through substantial bases, but Washington was now reviewing possible changes to take advantage of new capabilities.
"We look forward to the outcome," he said.
Canberra expects the US to ask for even greater cooperation than Australia already provides, with more exercises and facilities for its forces, including a larger "seaswap" programme under which ships crews are changed abroad to increase the sea time of American warships.
"If there are other ways we can cooperate and support a good friend and ally, then we would," Hill said.
"But there's been no suggestion of any substantial US bases in Australia."
