The US is eyeing remote Australian islands as a potential location for a new military base as part of its buildup against China in the region.
According to Defense One, the US Navy recently published a construction tender that says the Cocos Islands, which are located over 1,300 miles to the west of Australia’s mainland, can house infrastructure that can improve the US military posture in the Indo-Pacific.
The US Navy also listed the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea for anticipated construction projects under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, the formal name for the US military buildup in the region.
The news of the US plans to start construction on the Cocos Islands came as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted their Australian counterparts for talks in Annapolis, Maryland. After the meeting, Austin said the US would be increasing deployments to Australia and sending more bombers.
“We’re … increasing the presence of rotational US forces in Australia,” Austin said. “All this will mean more maritime patrol aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft operating from bases across northern Australia. It will also mean more frequent rotational bomber deployments.”
Australia’s ABC News reported in 2022 that the US was starting the construction of new facilities at the Tindal air base, which is south of the northern city of Darwin, for the purpose of storing six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers. The construction will cost about $100 million and is expected to be completed by 2026.
The US is expanding its bases in the region explicitly in the name of preparing for a future war with China. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the former head of US Pacific Air Forces who is now the commander of Air Combat Command, said last year that the purpose of the expansion in the region was to give China more targets it would need to hit.
“Obviously, we would like to disperse in as many places as we can to make the targeting problem for the Chinese as difficult as possible,” Wilsbach said. “A lot of those runways where we would operate from are in the Pacific Island nations.”
What is the purpose of a base in the middle of the Indian Ocean? Unless they're planning on attacking Indonesia, the closest land but still a long way, it seems like a senseless waste of money.
Oh, that's right, it's the Pentagram. Doesn't have to make sense.
There is a population of 600, mostly Muslim Malay people. Wonder where they'll be removed to, and if they'll be given a choice.
Xi woke up, alarmed and upset. He heard the West is sending more politicians to visit him. Fake news. The US is surrounding China with more military bases. He calmed himself and went back to sleep like a baby.
It's more like a remote Indonesian Island…!
The Sun Never Sets on the American Empire.
Pacific Deterrence Initiative, the formal name for the US military buildup in the region.
And the reaction from China will be why the Pacific Deterrence Initiative was established. The ultimate in self-fulfilling prophesy.