US mulls moving assets from Afghanistan to PH

MANILA, Philippines—The United States is considering moving its “logistics assets” from war-torn Afghanistan to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations for “future disaster response” or “other contingency,” according to a US Department of Defense news report.

A report from the American Forces Press Service said the US Pacific Command (Pacom) was working with the US defense department and the US Agency for International Development to identify what materiel assets may be transferred to the Asia Pacific as the Americans withdraw from Afghanistan.

It added that the US was also seeking more arrangements with governments in the region for the “rotational deployment” of American military forces.

“Part of what this office is doing is looking at the options of where we can forward locate humanitarian assistance capabilities in the theater,” the report quoted Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark M. McLeod, Pacom’s director of logistics, engineering and security, as saying.

“We want to posture them somewhere in the theater that would allow us to react very quickly,” he added.

McLeod said many materials—“tents, blankets and generators, among them”

—that would be transferred from Afghanistan could be vital in humanitarian crises.

“A preponderance of the natural disasters happen in this theater, so the question is raised: How do you get enough assets out here to support all of the things that happen?” McLeod said.

He noted several locations, “such as Singapore and the Philippines,” which offer “not only low-cost warehouse space, but also good airfield and port access.”