Started in 1947 by order of President Harry Truman, PACOM (U.S. Pacific Command) is the oldest and largest U.S. unified command. Covering half of the globe or 36 countries from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast of Africa and from the Arctic to Antarctica, there are approximately 300,000 military personnel from the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines who come under the control of PACOM. The command has approximately 141 ships, 39 submarines, 360 Air Force planes, 900 naval aircraft, 250 Army aircraft and 600 Marine aircraft. Economically, 38 percent or $1.1 trillion in U.S. trade took place in the Asian-Pacific arena in 2006. Future gains in U.S. trade are likely given that Asia is the fastest-growing economic region in the world.

Given the enormity of PACOM's area of responsibility and the assets it controls, the position of Commander PACOM is a highly coveted four-star billet. Adm. Timothy J. Keating, a 1971 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, assumed command in March 2007 coming from his position as commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command.

“;In line with the National Defense Strategy of 2008, PACOM is fully prepared to fight and win the nation's wars,”; said Keating. However, its mission is not purely a military one. As proud as he is of PACOM's battle readiness, Keating is equally proud of PACOM's role as a good citizen discharging humanitarian assistance. The naval hospital ship U.S.S. Mercy has played an active role in the Asian-Pacific arena dispensing medical services. PACOM ships, aircraft and personnel provided disaster relief during the Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004. And earlier this year, U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft delivered supplies to China in the aftermath of massive earthquakes and after shocks.

Keating feels strongly that American leadership style does not always need to have the U.S. taking the point. We can lead from within, outside, or behind, said Keating in a question-and-answer session in May at the Japan Society of New York. In other words, the U.S. can lend personnel or materiel support to a multilateral activity, but it doesn't need to play a dominant role.

  Keating's greatest worry is the potential threat from China. Because of a lack of transparency, one of the greatest challenges - if not frustrations - is reading and comprehending the People's Liberation Army's intentions. According to the Washington Post, Jiang Enzhu, Chinese National People's spokesperson, said that China's military budget increased 15.8 percent from 2003 to 2007. This year it will increase by 17.6 percent. Since the budget is scattered in different areas, the increase could be larger. Determining the exact size of the budget is of vital importance to the U.S. China prefers to parry U.S. inquiries about the growth in the military budget by claiming that additional budget is necessary to upgrade the quality of life for PLA members in order to prevent them from taking higher paying jobs in China's sizzling private sector. Keating acknowledges that PLA living conditions do not match those enjoyed by U.S. military members; however, skepticism remains.

  What are the PLA's strengths? Keating said China's population of more than 1.3 billion offers a huge source for recruitment, and the PLA enjoys wide government support from the Central Military Commission. The Second Artillery, China's strategic missile force, with both nuclear and conventional weapons, and the PLA Navy's 65 submarines are most certainly a worry to anyone who might have to confront China. Keating, to his credit, readily admitted that in the event of an emergency, additional submarines will be needed and that it will take a while to get them to the Pacific from the East Coast.

The Chinese clearly want an aircraft carrier, and there are a number of Chinese magazines and news stories devoted to discussing the addition. The admiral said, “;there is no greater a symbol of national sovereignty and national pride than an aircraft carrier sailing into a foreign port with its national ensign blowing in the breeze.”; A seasoned aviator with more than 5,000 flight hours and 1,200 carrier landings, Keating added, “;Operating a carrier is not as easy as it looks.”; It will take China time to train the hundreds of personnel it takes to manage a carrier in an effective combat fashion.

The PLA deserves serious attention, yet it does have weaknesses. It has improved in certain tactics and procedures, but it still has problems in command and control, he said. Theoretically, the PLA is a unified force blending together China's land, air and naval forces. However, certain inter-service rivalries exist. The U.S. has long experience in joint and coalition operations; China doesn't. Keating said, “;World-scale operations are hard for the Chinese to get used to.”;

Keating pointed out that a significant PLA weakness is China's underdeveloped non-commissioned officer corps. As a result, the PLA's execution of military operations is not as good as America's. Chinese NCOs' careers also suffer from lack of a clear career path.

  The admiral is emphatic about the importance of China to U.S. national security. “;The U.S. must not ignore China!”;

He is working to build cooperation and communication between PACOM and the PLA. During his tenure, a military hotline has been put into operation between Washington and Beijing. He advocates exchange programs that would see more Chinese students attending U.S. schools and hopes to conduct limited military operations between the U.S. and China. Both exchanges and joint operations would allow the Chinese to see how far ahead the U.S. military is in comparison.

He understands that China wishes to protect its national interests just as the U.S. does, and both countries have a vital interest in keeping open sea lanes of communication. However, he emphasizes, “;That to go beyond or behind (militarily) the U.S. is not beneficial. It is not useful to try to catch the U.S. The U.S. is not hegemonic.”;

During a trip to China, the admiral was approached by a Chinese flag officer who suggested once China acquired its aircraft carrier that China should control the Pacific west of Hawaii and the U.S. the Pacific east of Hawaii. The admiral thanked the Chinese officer for his offer, pointing out that it more than likely would be declined.

“;The Pacific Ocean is big enough for everyone,”; said Keating.