Asia-Pacific rebalance remains central to strategy: Pentagon

Despite recent events in the Middle East, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the Defense Department remain dedicated to the U.S. rebalance to the Asia- Pacific region, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday.

"Given the fact that there's a lot going on in the world, that we're still making these visits and still having these discussions, speaks volumes about how important we believe the Asia-Pacific theater is," Kirby said at a news conference.

With more than 350,000 American troops based in the Pacific -- including the majority of Navy assets -- and with five of the seven US treaty alliances there, the US Department of Defense is very committed to the region, Kirby said.

However, "It doesn't mean that we take our eye off the ball of the rest of the world," he said. "We know we have security commitments around the world in the Middle East, in Africa and in Europe, and we continue to work mightily on those commitments. And there's been no slackening in that regard."

Kirby noted, if sequestration remains the law of the land, "it' s going to be harder and harder for us to meet those commitments." Unless Congress acts to change the law, sequestration spending cuts will return in fiscal year 2016.

"The defense strategy that we put forward, which allows us to conduct this rebalance and still focus on those parts of the world, will be put in jeopardy" under sequestration, Kirby said.

Hagel returned Wednesday from a trip that included a stop in India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss the importance of continuing robust defense cooperation.

The department is looking forward to continuing to develop the defense relationship with India's new government, Kirby said.