Kurt M. Campbell, Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, recently referred to the United States as a "Pacific nation," a new approach to global positioning -- unlike that of the traditional Atlanticist orientation -- drawing attention to a new era in U.S. foreign policy.
Campbell says:
"There should be no doubt that the United States, itself, is a Pacific nation. In every regard -- geopolitically, militarily, diplomatically, and economically -- Asia and the Pacific are indispensable to addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities of the 21st century. As the Asia-Pacific century emerges, defining the new international environment, the United States must enhance and deepen its strategic engagement and leadership role in the region. "