John Reed, Foreign Policy (USA)
For a major chunk of America's military community, the so-called "pivot to Asia" might seem like nothing more than an empty catchphrase, especially with the Middle East once again in flames. But for the Air Force at least, the shift is very real. And the idea behind its pivot is simple: Ring China with U.S. and allied forces, just like the West did to the Soviet Union, back in the Cold War.