The commitment of the United States to Southeast Asia since the end of the Vietnam War has been subject to a series of ebbs, flows and imbalances. History shows that it tends to wane whenever Washington is distracted by other global developments.
American policymakers have struggled to sustain their commitment to the region amid their growing focus on security in the post-9/11 era. The much-touted "pivot" to Asia, meanwhile, was hampered by a lack of resources in the aftermath of the 2007-08 global financial crisis.
