US Military Bases in Asia: Protection or Provocation

From his first day in office, Trump has been unpredictable. He has been one of the leaders who come up with something dramatic every other day. It is not uncommon to see him contradicting his officials or even his own statements. The Americans themselves are calling him out for being untrustworthy, betraying MAGA (Make America Great Again) and letting Americans down. One of the decisions Americans have been calling for is for him to close the US military bases in Asia.

The illusion of protection

Once America deploys troops into a nation, they overstay their welcome – long after their need has faded. Even after many nations have become capable of protecting themselves, the US has been reluctant to pull out its troops. Further, Trump has demanded nations like Japan and Korea to pay for the US troops stationed there.

Another perspective is that entering wars on behalf of one nation does not create ‘protection’. It only leads to escalation and destruction. Bombing Iran was the opposite of regional protection. It led to instability in the Middle East and beyond.

Geopolitical influence of the US using its military is not welcome anymore and the US should accept that.

The Japan-China myth

The US always acts like Japan needs protection from China. But in the last 1,000 years, China has invaded Japan exactly zero times. Meanwhile, Japan has invaded China multiple times – in 1592, 1894, 1931 and 1937.

Today, no one believes that either China or Japan will invade the other. The US is building bases upon myths.

Korea – Regional Issues are not American issues

North Korea is perceived as a threat to the republic of Korea. The American answer to this problem was to deploy 30,000 troops there. This has only escalated tensions and North Korea’s nuclear programme. A more effective solution is regional cooperation. This could be established in the form of a regional security pact between the two Koreas, China and Russia.

US interference causes conflict

There is a history of US military invention leading to worsening conditions and chaos in various nations. These include:

• Iran, 1953: In 1953, the U.S. and Britain orchestrated a coup to overthrow Iran’s prime minister Mohammad Mosaddeq. It established authoritarian rule of the Shah. This fueled anti-American sentiment in Iran. It is still viewed as a betrayal of democracy,
• In 2025, US intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict had heightened tensions as well.
• Syria, 2014: The US intervened in the Syrian civil war to fight ISIS. This led to exacerbation of existing conflicts. It also caused shifts in regional power dynamics. It also led to an estimated GDP loss of $800 billion over 14 years
• Iraq, 1991: The US intervened in Iraq in 1991. This intervention is also known as the Persian Gulf War. It had significant and lasting effects. These include the expulsion of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. There was also the establishment of no-fly zones to protect Kurdish and Shia populations. It led to a period of ongoing conflict and instability within Iraq. There was also significant loss of life. The US also intervened in Iraq from 2003 to 2014.
• There have been other US interventions. These include Afghanistan (2001-2021) and Libya (1986, 2011, 2015-Present). The US has also intervened in Lebanon (1958, 1982-1984) and Somalia (1992-1994, 2007-Present). Additionally, Yemen (2002-Present), Pakistan (2004), Kuwait (1990-1991), and Jordan (2014) have seen US involvement.

The political and military intervention of the US has generated terror and instability in these regions.

Defence or Dominance

When the people of these countries protest American interference, the troops don’t move. When the countries try to rid them, the troops don’t move. America maintains military control over foreign areas. This occurs as long as it has some way to justify its actions. But is this really protection if it goes against the will of the nation under protection? Most of the time, US intervention in one nation is a threat to all neighbouring countries. The options left to them are either to ally with the US. Alternatively, they need to build capacity to sustain themselves if a crisis arises.
Neighbouring countries oppose this US expansion just like Russia opposed Ukraine’s participation in NATO. China and North Korea similarly view the American bases in South Korea as a direct threat.

US’s double standards for classifying threats

China owns two small ports in Panama. Trump has panicked over them and labeled them as ‘threats’. Meanwhile, the US has bases in Japan, South Korea, Guam, Philippines, and the Indian Ocean. It has essentially encircled China with its military bases. Isn’t it about time the US changed its hypocritical logic?

The Cuba Lesson

In 1962, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union had put nuclear missiles in Cuba. Termed as the Cuban Missile Crisis, this had brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The lesson was clear after a tense 13-day confrontation: stay out of the other’s lane. Today, Russia and China are not setting up military bases in the West. But the US has bases all around them. It is not learning its lessons.

Economic culprit: Trade or Defence

Trump has claimed that the reason for budget deficits of the US is trade imbalance. However, one wonders whether defence is the true culprit. On the one hand, Trump has revealed a convoluted tariff policy. This policy aims to bridge the US deficit of $2 trillion per year. On the other hand, it continues to spend over 35% of its expenditure on defence. Closing overseas bases would be a huge source of savings for America. Its 750+ overseas bases in 80+ countries are not helping the revenue deficit.

After analysing the current situation, the US must ask itself if the foreign bases are worth it. Closing them would save trillions while reducing threats for other nations and preventing conflict escalation. America should declare, “You keep bases away from my region.” In return, “I’ll stay out of your hair.”

For all latest updates Follow theviralmail on X, Facebook, and Instagram