Essay On Perfect Pivot

The Perfect Pivot “A man watches his pear tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap.” These words by former President Abraham Lincoln accurately describe the impatient critics of President Obama’s, and subsequently, the Special Operations’ rebalance of forces and focus to Asia. The “strategic pivot” to the Asia-Pacific for Special Operations Forces (SOF) is the best choice in the current global security environment because it will strengthen important alliances, improve regional security, and stimulate domestic economic growth better than a strategic shift elsewhere. The SOF, and overall U.S. Foreign policy pivot to the Asia-Pacific region is under heavy scrutiny internationally and especially from within the United States (U.S.). The American people, however, are notorious for impatience, and have even been called the …show more content…
alliances, promote regional security, and therefore cultivate a regional operating environment where U.S. economic prosperity is possible. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost the U.S. “dearly, in blood and treasure.” Those that would claim the U.S. has a moral obligation to shift its strategic focus to Africa must consider that the U.S. government must first prioritize the survivability of the nation. After more that a decade of war, the financial crisis, and an ever-growing national debt, economic prosperity is now a priority. “In a time of scarce resources, there’s no question that we need to invest them wisely where they will yield the biggest returns, which is why the Asia-Pacific represents such a real 21st-century opportunity for us,” wrote then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a commentary in which she mentioned “prosperity” on seven different