ILW publications examine southeast Asia, Army installations

ILW publications examine southeast Asia, Army installations

Thursday, July 30, 2015

The Association’s Institute of Land Warfare (ILW) has recently released two new publications."Malaysia, Singapore and the United States: Harmony or Hegemony?" (National Security Watch 15-2, May 13, 2015), examines the complex relationship between Malaysia and Singapore and its strategic implications for the United States’ vital interests.The partnership between Malaysia and Singapore is a testimony to the triumph of pragmatism and cooperation in spite of ethnic divisions, long-running resentments and the presence of religious extremism and is a model for productive collaboration between countries around the world.Three major factors of the Malaysia–Singapore relationship comprise the crux of the United States’ interests in the region:The shipping lanes in the waterways that surround the countries;The significant Muslim populations of both countries and the moderate version of Islam promoted by Malaysia; andThe key role Singapore plays in balancing the interests between the United States and China.To leverage strong trade relationships, collaborate with Muslim communities, combat Islamic extremism and forge a more productive relationship with China, it is critical that the United States maintain separate, bilateral and tailored relationships with Malaysia and Singapore. "Installations: The Bedrock of America’s Army" (Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2015) describes four roles that installations play in providing and maintaining unit and individual readiness.Specifically, installations solidify the Army’s relationship with the civilian world through public and private partnership.They also provide the infrastructure and technology to support force projection; undertake initiatives that promote more resilient and efficient uses of energy; and provide services that ensure a high quality of life for soldiers, families, DA civilians, veterans and survivors.With the global threats and unprecedented fiscal uncertainty the nation is currently facing, the Army must be able to deter adversaries and signal commitment to allies and partners.This cannot happen without installations that are capable of learning, adapting and innovating to provide unit and individual readiness.To build the installation of the future in this complex environment, Congress must provide full funding in a timely and predictable manner.These and other ILW publications are available online at http://www.ausa.org/ilw and can also be obtained by calling (800) 336-4570, Ext. 4630, or by e-mailing a request to ilwpublications@ausa.org