U.S. defense strategy proposal suggests Indo-Pacific withdrawal

A report by Jennifer Kavanagh, principal researcher at the Defense Priorities Foundation, suggests that the United States should reduce its defense commitments in the Indo-Pacific region. The proposal advocates for ending mutual defense alliances with South Korea, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines to prioritize the defense of U.S. territory and the protection of key trade routes.

The report recommends withdrawing military presence from the ‘first island chain’—stretching from Okinawa to the Philippines—and relocating forces to the ‘second island chain,’ which includes eastern Japan and the Northern Mariana Islands. Kavanagh argues this shift would facilitate the defense of U.S. positions and ‘reduce the risk of a catastrophic war with China.’

The proposal has raised concerns regarding Taiwan, as the report notes the U.S. lacks a formal commitment to assist the island in the event of a Chinese attack. Kavanagh suggests the U.S. should move from strategic ambiguity toward a clear policy of non-intervention in military confrontations involving Taiwan, noting that armed conflict would carry an ‘exorbitant cost’ for the United States.