U.S. seeks further input on altered approach from foreign navies

U.S. seeks further input on altered approach from foreign navies
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 26, 2007

Leaders of foreign navies offered their input on the U.S. Navy’s new strategy of using a kinder, gentler approach during a recent symposium.

“This is a very modern strategy that invites people to participate,” Vice Adm. Wolfgang Nolting, chief of the German Naval Staff, said of the new approach, described in the document “Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”

The strategy, hatched by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, was unveiled at the International Seapower Symposium in Newport, R.I., this month.

“It’s a strategy focused on opportunities versus threats, on optimism and not fear, on trust and not on doubt,” Nolting said in a phone interview Thursday from Bonn, Germany. “We are really happy to see the United States as leaders … are in line with European thinking on this.”

The strategy primarily calls for U.S. naval forces to concentrate in the Western Pacific, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

But it is wise for U.S. military leaders to keep up relations with key international contributors — such the European Union — to try to keep the seas safe, said U.S. Vice Adm. John Morgan, deputy chief of naval operations for information, plans and strategy, who was in Germany this week to visit defense leaders.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49789



uhc comment: It appears the Navy is trying a new marketing approach.