‘Cancellation of Obama’s visit won’t affect US pivot to Asia’

MANILA, Philippines - The cancellation of United States President Barack Obama’s trip to Asia would not affect Washington’s pivot to the region, former American security officials said yesterday.

Former US Pacific Command chief Dennis Blair said Obama’s decision to scrap the trip was due to the federal shutdown and should not be a cause for concern.

“I would read nothing more into the postponement of President Obama’s trip. I’m very confident he will reschedule it and be back here in the Philippines,” Blair said in a press briefing held at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati.

“Frankly, it would be a better visit if he is not on the phone to call back home and get reports on the latest development there. There will be a time he can fully engage in a visit to a country. I’m sure that time will come,” he added.

Obama cancelled his trip to the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia in the wake of a US government shutdown that stemmed from the failure of American lawmakers to pass a budget.

Obama’s Senate allies had rejected a budget proposal from the Republican-dominated House that sought to delay a health care program that, critics said, would lead to job losses.

The US President was supposed to visit Manila from Oct. 11 to 12 to discuss defense and economic partnerships with Philippine officials.

Former US defense undersecretary Walter Slocombe said Obama could not afford to be out of Washington due to the budget standoff.

“He has to be involved in setting administrative strategies and contacts with members of Congress,” Slocombe said.

“It has nothing to do with the Asia policy. It has got to do with the fact that we are in major political confrontation,” he added.

Blair said continuity is important to the US, which he said has a “good track record” in Asia.

“The US has been here and will be here for a long time,” he said.

Last year, the US bared plans to deploy a majority of its naval fleet to the Pacific by 2020 amid China’s efforts to shore up its presence in the region.

Then US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the move was part of Washington’s efforts to boost its presence in the Asia Pacific.

The US naval assets would be realigned from a roughly 50-50 split between the Pacific and the Atlantic to about 60-40 between those oceans. The US has also increased its military aid to the Philippines from $30 million next fiscal year to about $50 million, said to be the highest level since 2000.

The Philippines and the US are now crafting an agreement that would provide American forces greater access to military facilities in the country.