JAPAN TO HAVE NEW ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE RADAR INSTALLATION



U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto in Tokyo, Sept. 17, 2012. DOD photo by Erin Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

U.S., Japan Agree to Add Second Radar Installation
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

TOKYO, Sept. 17, 2012 - The United States and Japan have agreed to add a second U.S. anti-ballistic missile radar installation in Japan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced here today.

During a news conference following separate meetings with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, Panetta and Morimoto both discussed the radar's significance.

The agreement "reflects our joint commitment to this alliance, and to promoting peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

A defense official traveling with PanettaTPY-2, will augment one previously set up in Shariki on the northern part of Honshu island. A team from the United States arrived in Japan this week to work with Japanese officials in determining a site for the new radar, the official added.

The official said the radar is not a defense against China, but rather against the growing ballistic missile threat North Korea poses to "the U.S. homeland as well as U.S. citizens, our deployed forces, allies and partners in the region."

"U.S. missile defense and Japan are focused on deterring North Korean aggression," the official said, "and if deterrence fails, defending against the growing arsenal of North Korean ballistic missiles. North Korea has hundreds of ballistic missiles that can threaten our interests ... [as well as] other countries in the region."

The official said the land-based system will bolster regional security and allow flexibility in deploying ships equipped with the same radar, now stationed in the Asia-Pacific region, to other parts of the world as needed.

"The U.S. has been committed to the collective regional security of the Asia-Pacific region for decades, and to that end we cooperate with our partners on a broad range of capabilities, including missile defense," the official said.

According to a Missile Defense Agency fact sheet, the AN-TPY-2 is an X-band, high-resolution, phased-array radar designed specifically for ballistic missile defense, capable of tracking all classes of ballistic missiles and identifying small objects at long distances.

Used with the Ballistic Missile Defense System, the AN-TPY-2 acts as advanced "eyes" for the system, detecting ballistic missiles early in their flight and providing precise tracking information for the system's use.

59TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR ARMISTICE OBSERVED

FROM: U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE A member of the honor guard brings a wreath to Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta as South Korean Ambassador Choi-Young jin looks on during a ceremony to mark the 59th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., July 27, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Panetta Salutes Korean War Vets at 59th Armistice ObservanceBy Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta observed the 59th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice today by reminding a gathering of Korean War veterans that America will not permit cuts to the military to again "allow us to lose our edge", as he says happened on the eve of that conflict more than 60 years ago.

Panetta was the keynote speaker at an observance of the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 conflict, held at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the river from Washington. It was an opportunity to remember the more than 50,000 U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Korean War, and to celebrate the "sheer grit, determination, and bravery" of those who fought for a noble cause in a distant land to make the world a safer place, he said.

"For three long, bloody years, American troops fought and died in Korea, in difficult conditions, where the country's mountainous terrain and the unrelenting cold of winter were bitter enemies in themselves," Panetta said.

"It was an uncompromising war, where capture by a vicious enemy often meant summary execution. In Korea, American troops and their allies were always outnumbered by the enemy, awaiting the chilling sound of bugles and horns that would signal another human wave attack."

Panetta said the troops that fought during that Cold War conflict will never forget the battles waged in the country's mountains and at Massacre Valle, Bloody Ridge, Chosin Reservoir and Pork Chop Hill. Those fights, he said, "became synonymous in our lexicon with the heroic sacrifice and the grim determination of the American fighting man."

The Korean War caught America unprepared, Panetta said, and the mighty military machine that liberated Europe and conquered the Japanese empire had been rapidly demobilized. Only a few years of under-investment had left the United States with a hollow force, he added.

"The American soldiers and Marines initially sent to Korea were poorly equipped, without winter clothing and sleeping bags, with insufficient ammunition and inadequate weapons, including bazookas that weren't strong enough to stop North Korean tanks."

But those green troops sent to stem the tide of communism soon turned into savvy combat veterans, he said, and what they weren't taught before their baptism by fire, they quickly learned on the unforgiving battlefield. They soon became a battle-hardened force, Panetta said, that fought from one end of Korea to the other, halting repeated drives to capture the peninsula, and in the process inflicting massive casualties on the enemy.

"As we honor our Korean War veterans we must also remember the more than 7,900 Americans missing in action," he said. "The Department of Defense is dedicated to resuming the search [to find] the remains of fallen service members missing in action in Korea. We will leave no one behind ... until all of our troops come home."

South Korea has grown strong and has become independent, and the Korean War's moniker as "The Forgotten War" no longer holds true, he added.

"Thanks to the service and sacrifice of our veterans six decades ago ... South Korea is a trusted ally, an economic power, a democracy and a provider of security in the Asia-Pacific region, and in other parts of the world."

Panetta contrasted the South's progress with "the bleakness" of the North, which he said remains a dangerous and destabilizing country bent on provocation, "and is pursuing an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction while its people are left to starve."

Two crucial lessons were learned from the Korean War, Panetta said.

"Too many American troops paid a heavy price in Korea because they were not provided the necessary training and the right weapons. They were sent into a tough fight with little preparation ...Only a few short years after World War II, dramatic cuts to the force made us lose our edge -- even though the world remained a dangerous place. We will not make that mistake again. That's why today, coming out of a decade of war, we have put forward a strategy-driven defense budget to meet the challenges of the future. The world remains a dangerous place, and America must maintain its decisive military edge."

America "must remain the strongest military power in the world, and ... make no mistake: We will be ready to defeat aggression – anytime, anyplace."

Panetta said the second lesson taught by the Korean War is the service and sacrifice made by a generation that bravely fought on its battlefields.

"Some 60 years ago, a generation of Americans stepped forward to defend those in need of protection and to safeguard this great country. America is indebted to them -- to you, for your service and your sacrifice. Sixty years ago, the bugles sounded and you helped strengthen this country for 60 years. America will never forget you."

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, another generation stepped forward to lead, and its strength will be America's strength for decades to come, Panetta said.

"Over the past decade of war this new generation has done all this country has asked of them and more," he said. "They take their place alongside all of you -- another greatest generation of heroes that exemplifies the best that America has to offer. Our nation is great because generation after generation after generation, when the bugle sounded, our [military] responded."

In commemoration of the Korean War, Panetta said America should always remember "the sacred call to duty," and to "renew our commitment to honoring those who have fought, who have bled, and who have died to protect our freedoms and our way of life."

PANETTA AND SHINSEKI WARN CONGRESS OF BUDGET CUTS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta, Shinseki Warn of Stress on VA From Wars, Budget
By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki warned Congress today that looming budget cuts as well as the surge of troops returning from a decade of wars will further challenge the government's ability to provide for veterans in a timely manner.
Both testified before a joint session of the House Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Panetta told lawmakers troop drawdowns as well as the impact of wars over the last decade will, for years to come, place additional strain on an already burdened system charged with caring for veterans.

"We're going to be adding another hundred thousand per year. And the ability to be able to respond to that in a way that effectively deals with the heath care issues, with the benefits issues, with all of the other challenges, that is not going to be an easy challenge," he said, adding that the current system is already "overwhelmed."

Shinseki, whose agency is attempting to process a backlog of veterans' claims within a bureaucracy that he described as still largely unautomated and "paperbound," further laid out the daunting task ahead.

"Our history suggests that VA's requirements will continue growing for a decade or more after the operational missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are ended," he said. "Over the next five years, there is the potential for 1 million serving men and women to either leave military service or demobilize from active duty." Of the roughly 1.4 million veterans who have returned from both wars, nearly 70 percent, he said, currently rely on the VA.

Rep. Howard McKeon of California, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, noted if an additional round of draconian budget cuts known as "sequestration" takes effect next year, 100,000 additional service personnel will be leaving the military and likely would add to the strain on resources that DOD and VA are providing to current veterans.

Shinseki told lawmakers he has been informed that VA would be largely exempt from sequestration, and that only "administrative costs" would be affected. He told the panel he doesn't yet have a definition of administrative costs, and he offered to provide that information later.

Sequestration is a federal budget maneuver written into legislation passed last year that raised the U.S. debt ceiling. Unless lawmakers take action to prevent it, the measure will slash spending across the federal budget beginning in January, taking an additional $500 billion from defense accounts. Panetta has said the cuts would be a disaster, and told lawmakers today that such a move would make it "near impossible" to do the kind of work the departments are trying to do.

DOD SECRETARY PANETTA URGES HONORING AUROA VICTIMS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta Urges Work, Sacrifice to Honor Aurora Victims

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2012 - In a message issued last night, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta paid tribute to the military victims of the July 20 shooting spree in Aurora, Colo., and urged Defense Department personnel to honor the victims' memory through hard work and sacrifice.

Here is the text of the message:
To all Department of Defense personnel:
Flags at Department of Defense installations across the world are being flown at half-staff to honor the victims of last week's tragedy in Aurora, Colorado. All of us in the Department of Defense community are deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence, which has hit our military family especially hard.

Four of the victims served in the military -- including Air Force Staff Sergeant Jesse Childress, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John Larimer, Jonathan Blunk, a former Sailor, and Rebecca Wingo, a former Airman. Other DoD personnel and family members were also injured in this cruel attack.

I know that many are struggling to understand why these innocent lives were taken from us, and how such a tragedy could occur in this country. Even as we try to make sense of this evil act, we are also moved to learn more about the actions of men and women like SSgt. Childress, who threw himself in front of his friend in the movie theater to shield her from the gunman. His selflessness saved her life, at the cost of his own.

These acts of heroism and sacrifice are the essence of what military service is about -- putting your life on the line to defend those who are part of the American family.

Let us all honor the victims of this tragedy by committing ourselves to the hard work and sacrifice of protecting this country. Bravery, courage, and dedication are the hallmarks of our men and women in uniform -- our heroes.

May God bless each and every one of you, and the United States of America.

STRESS AND REINTEGRATION FROM A WAR ENVIRONMENT

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Family Matters Blog: Taking Stress Out of Reintegration

By Lisa Daniel

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2012 - The Defense Department is working to "fundamentally transform" the nation's understanding of the invisible wounds of war, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has said, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological and Traumatic Brain Injury.

DCoE is out in front on recognizing psychological problems among service members and recently began reaching out to military members and their families through social networking.

One event, now common in military family life -- that also can be largely misunderstood -- is a service member's redeployment home. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Dana Lee, a counselor in reintegration and deployment health at DCoE in Silver Spring, Md., recently took part in a Facebook chat with families about how to give service members a smooth transition back into their home life.

People often have unrealistic views of how a redeployment will be, Lee told me in a follow-up interview. "A lot of people think of it as a series of positive events," she said. "You're reunited with your family and friends, you're going back to your favorite restaurants and activities."

But returning to the routine of home life after war also can be a "period of extended stressors," she added. "There are expectations that come with coming back. When you're deployed, you're focused on mission completion. There are different routines at home."

A lot of things happen in the months that a service member is away, Lee explained. The kids have grown and changed, maybe the house is different, there may be a new car, and the couple's relationship may have changed.

Many couples – or one member of the couple – may want to dash off to Disney World or throw a big party or family reunion for what many see as the ultimate celebration. But some redeploying service members may need down time to decompress, Lee said.

Communication is key to understanding what the service member wants and needs, Lee said. "Include your service member in the planning process so they can have a say in what is happening," she said.

While some reintegrated troops are ready for a big welcome-home party, some may be exhausted or overwhelmed by that, Lee said. "Some people when they just get back, all they want to do is catch up on their sleep," she said. "Some may sleep 20 hours a day for a few days just to catch up.

"The service member may be thinking, 'I just want to get the basics done: relax, sleep, have a good burger.'"

Reintegration should be viewed as a process, rather than a timed event, Lee said. There is no set time in which a service member should feel fully acclimated, she said.

Reintegration affects the whole family, Lee said, and family members should understand that it is OK to spend time apart. "It's OK to look at your routines and do what you need to do for yourselves," she said.

Families should talk about the changes openly and, if a service member is deployed, start the conversation then. "The conversation should not start as soon as the service member gets back," she said.

It is common for troops to have disagreements or flashbacks as they reintegrate, Lee said. Some signs that a service member may need professional help with reintegration is if he or she has excessive anger, depression, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, is using illegal drugs or misusing prescription drugs, or drinking alcohol excessively, she said.

"It goes back to functioning," Lee said. "If you notice increased anger and it's really not the same person you knew before deployment, and the anger is impacting family relationships, or if they are isolating themselves," then it may be time to reach out to a counselor or clergy members, she said.

"We know that when you break your leg, you're going seek treatment," Lee said. "But it's also vital that people with invisible wounds seek help, too."

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA THANKS LGBT SERVICE MEMBERS, FAMILIES AND LGBT CIVILIANS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Panetta Salutes Gay, Lesbian Service Members' Dedicated Duty

By Cheryl Pellerin

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2012 - The pursuit of equality is fundamental to the American story, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in a video message released today to thank gay and lesbian service members and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civilians for their dedicated service to the nation.

Recognizing June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, the secretary also thanked the families of gay and lesbian service members and LGBT civilians.

Diversity is one of the department's greatest strengths, the secretary noted.

"During Pride Month, and every month, let us celebrate our rich diversity and renew our enduring commitment to equality for all," he said.

In his video message, Panetta emphasized the military's diversity. "The successful repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' proved to the nation that, just like the country we defend, we share different backgrounds, different values and different beliefs," he said. "But together we form the greatest military force in the world."

Integrity and respect are the cornerstones of military culture, the secretary added. "The Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force implemented the repeal with a focus on respect and individual dignity," Panetta said.

Addressing the service members who now can serve openly regardless of their sexual orientation, the secretary lauded their service before the repeal. "Before the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," he said, "you faithfully served your country with professionalism and courage. And just like your fellow service members, you put your country before yourself." Today, he added, they can be proud not only of serving their country, but also of who they are when in uniform.

The president also recognized June as LGBT Pride Month, noting that throughout the nation's history, ordinary Americans have advocated for change and have "led a proud and inexorable march toward freedom, fairness and full equality under the law – not just for some, but for all."

When the president signed the repeal act into law in December 2010, he said, "We are not a nation that says, 'don't ask, don't tell.' We are a nation that says, 'Out of many, we are one.' We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. We are a nation that believes that all men and women are created equal. Those are the ideals that generations have fought for. Those are the ideals that we uphold today."

When the repeal took effect in September 2011, Panetta said anyone who is capable of serving in uniform should be able to do so, and he re-emphasized that belief in his video message.

"Going forward," Panetta said, "I remain committed to removing as many barriers as possible to make America's military a model of equal opportunity, to ensure all who are qualified can serve in America's military, and to give every man and woman in uniform the opportunity to rise to their highest potential."

 

U.S. SEC. OF DEFENSE PANETTA SAYS NATO IS CRITICAL TO U.S. SECURITY

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta testifies before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense, June 13, 2012. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett  
NATO is Crucial to U.S. Security, Panetta Tells Senators
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, June 13, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told a Senate panel today the NATO alliance is crucial to American security, but that NATO countries need to spend more on defense.

"We can't do it alone. We've got to be able to have alliances like NATO be able to work with us in confronting the many challenges that we face in the world," he said, during testimony on the 2013 defense budget request at the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense.

U.S. defense officials have repeatedly raised concerns that some NATO nations are not investing enough in their militaries. NATO's goal is for members to spend roughly 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. Most have not met that goal. NATO nations must continue developing their capabilities and improving their defense postures, the secretary said.

At NATO's summit in Chicago last month, leaders agreed to develop greater capabilities in missile defense, in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and in air-to-air refueling, among other things.

But with Europe going through an economic downturn, the United States has concerns that many European nations will "constantly go back to defense and seek further savings there, which I think would be dangerous," Panetta said.

This has already eroded some capabilities. Panetta said that during last year's Libya operation, the United States provided roughly 60 percent of the support, and that NATO officials told him if the mission were today, the United States would have to pick up about 80 percent.

DEFENSE SECRETARY VISIT SHOWS STRENGTHENING TIES WITH VIETNAM

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to crew members aboard the USNS Richard Byrd and their Vietnamese counterparts in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, June 3, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo 



Panetta's Cam Ranh Bay Visit Symbolizes Growing U.S.-Vietnam Ties
By Jim Garamone
CAM RANH BAY, Vietnam, June 3, 2012 - Senior U.S. officials were once a familiar sight at this deep-water port on the South China Sea. But that was during the Vietnam War, which is why Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's visit to an American ship moored in the harbor here is historic.

Panetta touched on history, but spoke of the future to the men and women of the USNS Richard Byrd – a Military Sealift Command supply ship. He spoke of the Vietnam War and the symbolism of the large gray supply ship moored in the harbor today.
On Memorial Day, Panetta spoke at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington to mark the 50th anniversary of the war. Etched in granite on the memorial are the names of all the Americans who died in the war.

Many of those Americans memorialized in the Wall came through Can Ranh Bay. It was a major port, major airfield and major logistics point for American forces during the war.
"Today I stand on a U.S. ship in Cam Ranh Bay to recognize the 17th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam," he said.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Vietnam was a bloody country. Millions of Americans service members served in Vietnam-- 58,282, died and hundreds of thousands were wounded. The Vietnamese military also took horrendous casualties, and Vietnamese civilians often also paid the price of war.

The war ended in 1975, and 20 years later the United States and Vietnam normalized relations between the countries.

"I'm here to take stock of the partnership we are developing with Vietnam," Panetta told the civilian mariners and sailors of the Byrd.

Since the normalization, the U.S. and Vietnamese militaries have worked to build military-to-military relations. Last year, U.S. and Vietnamese defense officials signed a memorandum of understanding designed to bring the two militaries closer together.
"We've come a long way," Panetta said.

The way American and Vietnamese defense officials have been working together shows the two countries "have a complicated relationship, but we are not bound by that history," the secretary said. "We want to explore ways that we can expand that relationship."
The United States wants to expand the relationship in a number of areas, Panetta said. The secretary would like to see growth in high-level exchanges, in the maritime area, in search and rescue, in humanitarian aid and disaster relief and in peacekeeping operations.
"In particular we want to work with Vietnam on critical maritime issues including a code of conduct focusing on the South China Sea, and also working to improve freedom of navigation in our oceans," he said.

Access for U.S. supply ships to Cam Ranh Bay and its repair facilities is important not only for logistical reasons but for its political implications. This will allow the United States to achieve its objectives in the Asia-Pacific and to take the relationship with Vietnam to the next level, Panetta said.

The secretary made a special mention of Vietnam's longstanding assistance in identifying and locating the remains of our fallen service members and those Americans missing in action in Vietnam. "This sacred mission will continue until all missing troops are accounted for," he said. "We stand by our pledge that we leave no one behind."
The secretary spoke on the flight deck of the Byrd. The equatorial sun beat down on the deck, and behind him rose Vietnam's jagged, rocky mountains. Immediately behind him flew the U.S. flag on the fantail of the ship. Panetta served as an Army lieutenant in the early 1960s. The names of some of his classmates, friends, fellow soldiers are engraved in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

"We all recall that a great deal of blood was spilled in the war on all sides – by Americans and by Vietnamese," he said. "A lot of questions were raised on all sides over why the war was fought.

"But if out of all that sacrifice we can build a strong partnership between our countries that looks to the future, then perhaps can we not only begin to heal the wounds of the past, but we can build a better future for all our people in the Asia-Pacific region."

THE LAW OF THE SEA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Law of the Sea Symposium
As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Thank you very much John, I really appreciate your kind introduction.  Thank you for your commitment to public service and your great contribution to this country.  All of us who have had the chance to serve with you have tremendous respect for your many years of service to our nation, both in uniform, as a leader in the Department of Defense, and of course in the United States Senate.

Good afternoon.  It's a pleasure to be here today with Chairman Marty Dempsey, my pal, over there, in running the Department of Defense.  You don't have to worry, that place is so damn big, there are so many people that they don't even know we're here right now.  Eisenhower said that it was such a huge, complex building that you could walk in a Major and come out a General.  David Brinkley had another good one, he said, that a lady went up to a guard in the Pentagon and said to the Guard, "Sir, can you help me, I'm about to deliver a baby." And the guard said, "Ma'am, you should not come into this building in that condition."  And she said, "When I came into this building I wasn't in that condition."  It's a big place
.
And it's a great privilege to have a chance to be here with all of you to discuss an issue that is of immense importance to this nation's prosperity, as well as our national security.
I want to commend Senator Warner, the Pew Charitable Trusts, Chuck Hagel, and the Atlantic Council for their leadership in support of this country's long overdue accession to the Law of the Sea Convention.  Let me also acknowledge Senator Trent Lott, who I also had the pleasure of serving with in the House, and let me tell you, seeing him here in this room makes me feel a hell of a lot better about the possibility of ratification.

This afternoon, I'd also like to pay tribute to another statesman who has long supported the ratification of the Convention, Senator Dick Lugar.  He is a friend, and a tremendous friend to national security, and a friend to our nation's ocean.  This country has benefitted immensely from his many years of leadership in the Senate on foreign policy, and national security issues.  He is in every sense of the word, a statesman.  And these days as my former colleagues here all know, the most important thing is those who are willing to reach across and try to see if they can find solutions to the problems that confront this country.  He often reached across the aisle to try to find consensus on the most challenging issues of our times and that's what leadership is all about.

Our country desperately needs that kind of bipartisan spirit and leadership that Dick Lugar embodies.  I guess it would be a great tribute to Dick Lugar's distinguished career and what a great legacy it would be for him, if we were able to ratify the Convention on the Law of the Seas on his watch.

As many of you know, I've long been passionate about oceans policy, and the need to be able to work with and develop and protect our maritime resources for this country, ourselves, for our children and for future generations.  My love for the oceans goes back to my own childhood along the California coast.  My grandfather was actually in the Italian Merchant Marine, and sailed the oceans in great sailing ships of the day around the world, and fished off California and Alaska.

I was born and raised in Monterey, California, a fishing community made famous by John Steinbeck's books, particularlyCannery Row.  The Central California coastline, I can say very objectively, is one of the most beautiful in the world, and it is.  One of my proudest accomplishments as a member of Congress was establishing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
 
President John Kennedy once said that our oceans are the "salt in our blood."  And I think that's true.  They are critical to the life of our nation.  Critical to our health, our economy, critical to our recreation, our weather, our trade, and our security.
Recently, before I took the jobs in this administration, I had the honor to chair an Oceans Commission, and later co-chaired a Joint Oceans Commission Initiative with Admiral Jim Watkins – both commissions confirmed the importance of our oceans – but more importantly both strongly supported accession and ratification of the Law of the Sea Convention.

The time has come for the United States to have a seat at the table, to fully assert its role as a global leader, and accede to this important treaty.  It is the bedrock legal instrument underpinning public order across the maritime domain.  We are the only permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that is not a party to it.  China, France, Russia, other countries, Germany, India, 161 countries have approved this treaty.  We are the only industrialized country in the world that has not approved it.

This puts us at a distinct disadvantage, particularly when it comes to disputes over maritime rights and responsibilities when we have to engage with the 161 countries, including several rising powers, which are party to that treaty.

In years past, several Senate committees have examined the Convention and its various elements in hearings, and earlier Committee votes were approved by large bipartisan majorities.

Accession also has broad support among major U.S. industries.  This is an important point.  This is something that is not just supported by the diplomatic community or the environmental community.  This is also supported by the business community.  Companies that are dealing with offshore energy, shipbuilding, commercial shipping, communications companies, on and on and on.  Industries that have to deal with our offshore resources.  They need this treaty in order to be able to do their business and to effectively accomplish their goals.  The same is true for national security.

You have already heard the importance that Chairman Marty Dempsey attaches to U.S. ratification of the treaty.  His views are echoed by the senior leadership through the department of Defense: the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard Commandant.

Let me take a few minutes and outline why I too believe that this Treaty is absolutely critical to U.S. national security, why it is time to move forward on this important issue, and why the longer we delay, the more we undermine our own national security interests.  

The United States is at a strategic turning point after a decade of war.  I've made that point time and time again.  We're facing, obviously, the requirement that we reduce the Defense budget by $487 billion dollars over the next ten years, pursuant to the directions of the Congress and the Budget Control Act.  This is one of the few times in our history as we begin to come down from a war and from a period of threats to our national security, the problem is that even as these wars recede, we face a range of security challenges that are continuing to threaten our national security.

We confront transnational threats like violent extremism, terrorism, the kind of things we've heard about just over these last few days, those threats continue;  the destabilizing behavior of nations like Iran and North Korea, military modernization across the Asia-Pacific and turmoil across the Middle East and North Africa and elsewhere.  At the same time, we are dealing with the changing nature of warfare, the proliferation of lethal weapons and lethal materials, and the growing threat of cyber intrusion and cyber attacks.
These real and growing challenges and the reality is that they are beyond the ability of any single nation to resolve alone.  That is why a key part of our new defense strategy is to try to meet these challenges by modernizing our network of defense and innovative security partnerships—the kind that we have at NATO, the kind that we have elsewhere, different parts of the world—to try to develop those partnerships so that we can support a rules-based international order that promotes stability, that promotes security, and that promotes safety.

And that is also why the United States should be exerting a leadership role in the development and interpretation of the rules that determine legal certainty on the world's oceans.

Let me gives you some reasons why this treaty is essential to a strong national security.
First, as the world's pre-eminent maritime power, and we are, and we will remain so, this country with one of the largest coastlines and extended continental shelf in the world, we have more to gain from accession to the Convention than any other country because of the interest we have from our coastlines, from our oceans, and from our continental shelves.  By moving off the sidelines, by sitting at the table of nations that have acceded to this treaty, we can defend our interests, we can lead the discussions, we will be able to influence those treaty bodies that develop and interpret the Law of the Sea.  If we're not there, then they'll do it, and we won't have a voice.

In that way, we would ensure that our rights are not whittled away by the excessive claims and erroneous interpretations of others.  And it would give us the credibility to support and promote the peaceful resolution of disputes within a rules-based order.

Second, by joining the Convention, we would protect our navigational freedoms and global access for our military our commercial ships, our aircraft, and our undersea fiber optic cables.  As it currently stands, we are forced to assert our rights to freedom of navigation, asserting hopefully, through customary international law, which can change to our own detriment.

Treaty law remains the firmest legal foundation upon which to base our global presence, on, above, and below the seas.  By joining the Convention, we would help lock in rules that are favorable to freedom of navigation and our own global mobility.
Third, accession would help lock-in a truly massive increase in our country's resource and economic jurisdiction, not only to 200 nautical miles off our coasts, but to a broad continental shelf beyond that zone.

Fourth, accession would ensure our ability to reap the benefits of the opening of the Arctic – a region of increasingly important maritime security and economic interest.  We already see countries that are posturing for new shipping routes and natural resources as Arctic ice cover melts and recedes.  The Convention is the only means for international recognition and acceptance of our extended continental shelf claims in the Arctic, and we are the only Arctic nation that is not party to the Convention.

Accession would also preserve our navigation and over-flight rights throughout the Arctic, and strengthen our arguments for freedom of navigation through the Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route.

Finally, our new defense strategy emphasizes the strategically vital arc extending from the Western Pacific and East Asia into the Indian Ocean region and South Asia.  Becoming a party to the Convention would strengthen our position in these key areas.
For example, numerous countries sit astride critical trade and supply routes and propose restrictions on access for military vessels in the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and the South China Sea.  The United States has long declared our interests and our respect for international law, for freedom of navigation, for the peaceful resolution of disputes.  We have demonstrated our commitment to those interests through our consistent presence and engagement in these critical maritime regions.

By not acceding to the Convention, we give up the strongest legal footing for our actions.  We potentially undercut our credibility in a number of Asia-focused multilateral venues – just as we're pushing for a rules-based order in the region and the peaceful resolution of maritime and territorial disputes. We're doing that in the South China Sea and elsewhere.  How can we argue that other nations must abide by international rules when we haven't officially accepted those rules ourselves.

Another hot-spot is the Strait of Hormuz.  The Strait remains a vital sea lane of communication to us and our partners, and we are determined to preserve freedom of transit there in the face of Iranian threats to impose a blockade.  U.S. accession to the Convention would help strengthen worldwide transit passage rights under international law and isolate Iran as one of the few remaining non-parties to the Convention.    
These are the key reasons for ratifying this treaty – reasons that are critical to our sovereignty, and to our national security.  That's why I fail to understand the arguments on the other side of this issue.

For example, the opponents of accession have put forward the myth that the Law of the Sea Convention would force us to surrender U.S. sovereignty.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Not since we acquired the lands of the American West and Alaska have we had such an opportunity to expand U.S. sovereignty.

There are some who claim that accession to the Convention will restrict our military's operations and activities, or limit our ability to collect intelligence in territorial seas.  And again, quite simply, they are very wrong.  The Convention in no way harms our intelligence collection activities or constrains our military operations, nor will our military activities be subject to review or scrutiny by any international court or tribunal.
On the contrary, U.S. accession to the Convention preserves our freedom of navigation and over-flight rights as bedrock treaty law – the firmest possible legal foundation for these activities.

America has always been and will always be, a maritime nation, since President Teddy Roosevelt dispatched the Great White Fleet in 1907 on its circumnavigation of the globe, we have been a global maritime power.

Our new defense strategy recognizes our return to our maritime roots, and the importance to our military of freedom of navigation and global mobility.  We are making investments and force structure decisions to preserve that mobility.

Freedom of navigation is essential for any global power.  But it applies to all maritime states – everywhere.  And the Law of the Sea Convention helps ensure that this freedom is preserved and secured through reasoned, deliberate, international rules which are fully in accord with the freedom of navigation asserted by the United States around the world for decades.

It provides the stable, recognized legal regime we absolutely need to conduct our global operations today, tomorrow, and into the future.

Very frankly, this is not even a close call – the Law of the Sea Convention is supported by major U.S. industries, the Chamber of Commerce, our oil, energy, shipbuilding, shipping, and communications companies, fishing, and environmental organizations – along with past and present Republican and Democratic administrations and the entire national security leadership of the United States.  We cannot afford to fail.

By finally acceding to the Convention, we will help make our nation more secure and more prosperous for generations to come.  America is the strongest power in the world.  We are strong because we play by the rules.  Let us approve those rules, not ignore them, let us approve these rules and let us all commit today that for the sake of America, that for the sake of our national security, for the sake of our prosperity, and for the legacy of Dick Lugar, let's approve these rules by ratifying the Law of the Sea Convention.
Thank you very much.