Abstract
This article explores the strategies and objectives of United States foreign policy in Southeast Asia since the turn of the present century. It argues that U.S. regional strategy before and after World War II was based upon a concrete definition of its over arching objectives. These objectives were stability, trade and access. After World War II, these objectives were tied to a general security policy of opposing socialist systems. The result was a host of strategies designed to meet the demands of the time, which laid the seeds of suspicion and contradictory attitudes within and among Southeast Asian countries. Today, as evidence, there is a divergence of views between the United States and its closest ally in the region, the Philippines. This article also attempts to identify U.S. regional strategies and objectives in the 1990s. Finally, it asks: what are America's real objectives and strategies in Southeast Asia today?
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
