Stymied of influence in the Middle East, the Obama administration has now decided to "pivot" its foreign policy emphasis to the Pacific Rim.  Historically, America has kept the peace and the shipping lanes open in Asia by the strength of its unmatched, high-tech Navy.  But the days of U.S. dominance in the Western Pacific are likely numbered, because Communist China's power is on the rise, and American sea power is on the decline. The military component to the U.S. "pivot" will involve, DOD sources say, moving 2,500 Marines to the area, plus permanently stationing three more ships in the Western Pacific every year, culminating in a total force projection on-site of 67 American ships in five years.  This tiny force is supposed to dominate Red China's ever increasing naval presence and deter its provocations in the region. Even the proposed 67-ship American fleet will probably never materialize, because Congress voted to include the...(Read Full Post)