{"id":93625,"date":"2019-10-06T17:40:27","date_gmt":"2019-10-07T00:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=93625"},"modified":"2019-10-07T14:37:50","modified_gmt":"2019-10-07T21:37:50","slug":"yahapalana-and-the-united-states-of-america-part-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/10\/06\/yahapalana-and-the-united-states-of-america-part-14\/","title":{"rendered":"YAHAPALANA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Part 14"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

REVISED 7.10.2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States of America wishes to\ncontinue as the sole world power, but China is also eyeing the position. China\nis USA\u2019s main adversary for world power. China has moved into the Indian Ocean,\nlinking with Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Therefore USA also wants to station itself\nthere. Dominance\nof   the Indo \u2013Pacific region has now\nbecome important, said USA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA admits that it is not located in the\nIndian Ocean. USA is in the Pacific Ocean. However, USA says it is linked to\nits Indo-Pacific neighbors through unbreakable bonds of shared history,\nculture, commerce, and values.\u201d It  \ntherefore has an enduring commitment to uphold a free and open\nIndo-Pacific in which all nations, regardless of size, are able to exercise\ntheir sovereignty free from coercion by other countries.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

United States wants to see a rules-based order\nin the Indo-Pacific that respects such principles as peaceful resolution of\ndisputes, freedom of navigation, open and transparent investment environments,\nand strong and responsible governing institutions, it added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now let us turn to what the US is really\nplanning to do. The United State of America is getting ready for war in the Bay\nof Bengal and plans to drag Sri Lanka into that war, to fight on behalf of USA.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US can no longer fight wars by itself. Analysts observed that USA\ncan no longer scare away countries, by\ndispatching carriers or guided missile cruisers to loiter menacingly offshore. In\n1996, USA sent two carriers to the Taiwan Strait, leading Beijing to back down\nfrom its war games off Taiwan Today, however, such a deployment would no longer\nelicit the same response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New classes of\nquiet diesel submarines and new developments in mine and torpedo technology\nmake operations close to tense coastlines far more dangerous today than in the\npast. As a result, U.S. aircraft carriers are no longer immune from risk when\nentering waters within range of enemy forces. Also there is the deployment of\nRussian and Chinese area denial systems, like the so-called carrier killer\nDF-21 antiship missile developed in the last decade by China. Its range of over\n1,000 miles far outstrips the range of any warplane on U.S. flight decks today.\nSailing a U.S. carrier strike force through the Taiwan Strait these days, in a\nshow of support for pro-democracy forces in Hong Kong, for instance, would risk\ncatastrophe, said \u2018Foreign Policy\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following this,\nanalysts observed in October 2019, that the U.S.\nNavy isn\u2019t ready to take on Iran either, though militarily Iran could be\nconsidered a second-tier power. Iran does not yet possess anything as\nsophisticated as China\u2019s DF-21. However, its domestically produced Noor\nantiship missile (itself a reverse-engineered rip-off of an earlier Chinese\ncruise missile) is dangerous at over 100 miles. In 2016, the USS Mason, a\ndestroyer ship, discovered this when it was targeted by several Noor missiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The combination\nof these missiles and Iran\u2019s fleet of fast and cheap patrol boats has been enough\nto keep the USS Lincoln out of the Persian Gulf as tensions between Iran and\nthe United States increased. Naval air power, which since World War II has been\nthe main weapon in the U.S. arsenal, is quite suddenly nearly irrelevant. Forward-looking\nofficers in the U.S. Navy have been warning that this day would come for years\nsaid analysts. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now let us return\nto Sri Lanka .Head of the US Indo-Pacific command,\nDavidson, made a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee in\nFebruary 2019, where    he identified\nChina as the enemy  and Indo Pacific as USA\u2019s \u2018priority theater\u2019 of war. He called for\n\u2018combat-ready deterrence\u2019 to \u2018win before fighting\u2019 and, if necessary, \u2018be ready\nto fight and win.\u2019 The\narmed forces are to be \u2018forward-postured in the region.\u2019 This document reads like a blueprint for war against China,\nsaid Lasanda Kurukulasuriya. She observed that the\ndocument describes Sri Lanka as a significant strategic opportunity in the\nIndian Ocean\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But\nAmerica is no longer able to fight alone. It needs support. The challenges we\nface in the Indo-Pacific extend beyond what any single country can address\nalone, admitted USA. USA needs a Joint\nForce that can act as an effective deterrence and also win in a conflict. US therefore assembled the Quad, (America, India, Australia) Japan) and now\nthere is QUAD plus, with UK and France added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US recognized India as a “Major Defence\nPartner” in 2016, a designation that allows India to buy more advanced and\nsensitive technologies from America at par with that of the US’ closest allies\nand partners, and ensures enduring cooperation into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019 United States Senate has passed a\nlegislative provision that brings India on the same level as NATO countries and\ncountries like Israel and South Korea for increasing defence cooperation. This\nalso provides for increased US-India defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean in\nthe areas of humanitarian assistance, counterterrorism, counter-piracy and\nmaritime security. US had\nturned India into its proxy and India will now assume some of the security\nfunctions carried out by US, said one analysts . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA\nis now   seeking further Alliances and\nPartnerships, with like-minded allies\nand partners into a networked security alliance \nin the Indo-Pacific. Within South Asia, we have our Major Defense\nPartnership with India and are pursuing emerging partnerships with Sri Lanka,\nthe Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal, said Davidson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 US has made it clear that it   needs the support of Sri Lanka for its\ncontrol of Bay of Bengal. Thomas J.Vajda US Acting Principal\nDeputy Assistant Secretary of State dealing with South and Central Asia   visited Colombo in February 2019 and said \u2018we\nview Sri Lanka as a critical partner in the region.\u2019 As the United States increasingly turns its\nfocus to more robust engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, it also looks to\nSri Lanka as a valued friend and a partner to be a leader in that process, he\nsaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vadja\nalso decided to woo Sri Lanka with some flattery. He spoke of Sri Lanka\u2019s\nimportant role in the region. Your country has a hugely influential role to\nplay in the region said Vadja.\nLocated\nat the nexus of the Indo-Pacific, Sri Lanka has the opportunity to shape the\nregion\u2019s future, said Vadja. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 US Indo-Pacific Command Chief Admiral Philip\nDavidson told the US Senate’s Armed Services Committee, during a Congressional\nhearing, in January 2019 that Sri Lanka was  \na significant strategic opportunity in the Indian Ocean. Despite the political upheaval in Sri Lanka,\nit is in America’s interests to continue military collaboration and cooperation\nwith Sri Lankan Forces he said. Military-to-military relationship continues to\nstrengthen between the two nations., said Davidson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States and Sri Lanka agreed to\nexpand military-to-military cooperation” said a  joint statement from the Foreign Ministry\nin  May 2019. The cooperation included\ndemining, joint military engagements, Sri Lanka\u2019s peacekeeping operations,\nhuman rights training for Sri Lankan officers, and visits by U.S. ships and\nmilitary officials. The use of the term\n\u2018joint engagements\u2019 (rather than \u2018joint exercises\u2019) is significant as it\nsuggests a combat role, commented Lasanda..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Ambassador stated in January 2019 that\n“U.S.-Sri Lanka security cooperation includes a variety of joint exercises\nand training,  helping  among other things,  interoperability. This cooperation was\ndesigned by both countries to address our mutual security interests. Every joint exercise, every training in\ndisaster response, is done at the invitation of our Sri Lankan hosts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sri\nLankan Navy is a well-trained and professional force with the potential to\ncontribute to multi-lateral maritime interoperability in the Indian Ocean, said\nDavidson. The  US Indo-Pacific\ncommand  would focus in 2019 on\nincreasing navy-to-navy engagement with Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last joint US-SL naval exercise,   \u2018Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training\nExercise (CARAT) 2019,\u2019  took place in Hambantota\nin  April 2019, with the participation of\nhundreds of personnel.     The two US\nships participating were Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS \u2018Spruance\u2019\nand Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USS \u2018Millinocket,\u2019 which\nis part of the United States Military Sealift Command. The 103m long\n\u2018Millinocket\u2019 has a displacement of 2362 tons, while \u2018Spruance\u2019 is 155.3m long\nand has a displacement capacity of 9580 tons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLNS Sayurala  and SLNS\nSamudura participated from Sri Lanka. The\nexercise was meant to strengthen the maritime security and cooperation\nthrough small boat handling, diving exercises, anti-terrorist\noperations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka\nnavy has also held exercises with Indian navy. The six-day joint exercise\nSLINEX 2019    took place in September at\nVizag port. Sri Lanka has sent SLNS Sindhurala, an advanced offshore patrol\nvessel which had been constructed by India\u2019s state-run defence firm Goa\nShipyards, and SLNS Suranimala, a fast missile vessel to the Vizag port for the\nexercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Indian\nNavy is being represented by the missile corvette INS Khukri and the Naval\noffshore patrol vessel INS Sumedha. India has also deputed integral helicopters\nin addition to shore-based maritime patrol aircraft in the event. the four\nships and their crew will participate in drills including aircraft tracking,\ncross-deck flying, gun firing, visit board search and seizure procedures,\nunderway replenishment and navigational manoeuvres in the sea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yahapalana government is  also expanding the Sri Lanka navy,  in keeping with  the SLN\u2019s Maritime strategy 2025 Sri\nLanka  plans to build a 20-ship Navy by\n2025. Why do you need a peacetime fleet bigger than one available during the\nconflict, asked the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The\nNavy authorities replied  that is was\nnecessary to meet present and future maritime surveillance, patrolling as well\nas search-and-rescue needs.  Even in the\nabsence of war, we need a larger fleet to guarantee our maritime rights and\ninterests and also to meet our international obligations. Our SAR (Search and\nRescue) region is nearly 27 times that of land area therefore an expanded fleet\nis necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka Air Force held an  Air symposium on October 2018  attended by over 40 delegates from 20\ncountries. The topic was  \u2018 Air strategy\nin substantiating the geo strategic importance of Sri Lanka. The conference discussed\ngeo strategic deployment of air power in meeting national, regional and global\nchallenges.  The conference  also explored the conditions and necessities\nof maritime security in the Indian Ocean with respect to geopolitical\nperspective of Sri Lanka and  possible collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In  2019\nthe US embassy wanted to have a display of US Air Force aircraft in Colombo .They\nsuggested conducting an air parade over the skies of the Galle Face Green using\naircraft from the USS John Stennis<\/em>, the Nimitz class nuclear powered\ncarrier strike group which was  lying  off\nthe shores of Sri Lanka. The US embassy thought \nSri Lankans would love this. The Foreign Ministry did not think they\nwould. Their opinion was quite  different\n.The idea was abandoned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general opinion in Sri Lanka  was that USA  wanted to turn Trincomalee  into a US base. Firstly, USA  would like to have Trincomalee  as a counterweight to China-controlled\nHambantota, which sits on the edge of one of the world\u2019s busiest shipping\nlanes, said analysts.  “It will be\nabout balance not containment of China,” they said  Hambantota Port might soon become a forward\nmilitary base for China\u2019s growing blue-water navy, said USA. This was denied by\nSri Lanka. While China has control over\nSri Lanka\u2019s US$1.5 billion Hambantota port city, it does not have rights to\nbuild a naval facility there Sri Lanka said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly,\nTrincomalee would be a  useful, highly strategic\nbase for the US navy. Trincomalee  is one\nof the world\u2019s largest natural deep water harbours. Entrance to the harbor is four miles wide and\nfive across. Inner harbor which lies in the north covers about 12 sq miles and\nis securely enclosed by outcrops huge rocks and small islets. It has great\ndepth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In the\ntime of sailing ships the harbour could ensure the safety of a whole fleet\nduring the monsoon from October to March. A fleet so protected was in a\nposition to dominate the Bay of Bengal and the eastern sea. Thus any power that\ncontrolled this harbour had a great advantage from a naval and strategic perspective.\nTrincomalee  is ideal for nuclear\nsubmarines.  They can dive low in the\ninner harbour and effectively avoid radar and sonar detection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is  virulent resistance in Sri Lanka  to the idea of an American base on Sri Lanka soil.\nThis resistance, despite repeated government denials, showed just how strongly\ncitizens feel a foreign military base would hurt national interests, said\nobservers. A foreign base raises\nquestions of sovereignty and foreign interference, they observed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There will be opposition from outside too, they\nsaid. Neighboring countries such as India  will not be happy either. India said it  is keeping a close watch as protests grow in\nSri Lanka over a proposed SOFA pact with the US, which could enable the setting\nup of an American military base in Trincomalee . We are keeping a close watch\nas this has strategic significance for India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US denied that it\nintends to establish a military base in Sri Lanka. United\nStates has no intention of building a base here. Instead, we are building\nrelationships that will help keep both our countries safe, US embassy said. A base has never been a part of the\nrelationship nor have there ever been discussions aimed at establishing one,  said the embassy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Brewster, a senior research fellow at\nthe Australian National University researching Indian Ocean security, said that\n The United States has no need for a\nmilitary presence in Sri Lanka.” Ranil Wickremesinghe said that US navy is\n“not a fleet of fishing trawlers and they do not need any bases in Sri\nLanka”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays the US strategy is not to establish\nfull-blown, costly military bases overseas but to use the \u2018Lily-pad\u2019 concept,\nwhereby it increases its force deployment globally, but with a smaller\nfootprint. This affords a more nimble capability to move equipment and\npersonnel where they are required in a contingency, observed  Lasanda Kurukulasuriya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This confirms\nthat what the US wants is  a hub. The  U.S. navy has its eye on Sri Lanka\u2019s\nnortheastern port of Trincomalee to serve as a logistics hub, said analysts.\nThe US Navy announced in December, 2018, the setting up of what it called\nlogistic hub in Sri Lanka to secure support, supplies and services at sea,\nreported the media. The purpose of this hub, said the US 7th<\/sup>\nfleet,   would be to secure\n“mission-critical supplies and services to U.S. Navy ships transiting\nthrough and operating in the Indian Ocean.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US Navy first\noperated this air logistic hub in late August 2018. Under the ACSA, the US Navy\ntransferred cargo between planes at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The\ncargo was meant for the strike group at Trincomalee. Experts think the move was\na test run to ascertain timing and other procedures for re-supply using the\nColombo airport as a  launching pad\nduring an exigency. ( Continued) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS REVISED 7.10.2019 The United States of America wishes to continue as the sole world power, but China is also eyeing the position. China is USA\u2019s main adversary for world power. China has moved into the Indian Ocean, linking with Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Therefore USA also wants to station itself there. Dominance of   […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kamalika-pieris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93625\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}