There is no real reason to doubt the strength of the US/GCC strategic partnership and the US commitment to deter aggression against the GCC.
However, it should be understood as a recognition that so long as countries like Russia threaten their neighbors and brandish nuclear weapons, the United States and its allies must maintain their commitment to deter and, if necessary, defend against provocation and aggression.
The role of American military forces there has evolved considerably over the decades -- from occupying a defeated enemy to deterring Warsaw Pact aggression to symbolizing Washington's post-cold-war commitment to remain militarily engaged in Europe.
In many cases my commitment to athletics did deter my ability to excel in these areas.
Mr. Rumsfeld's trip to South Korea in November foreshadowed the changes, but he said his efforts to reorganize forces there would not diminish either the capacity or commitment of the United States to deter aggression by the North.
But NATO diplomats said that the goal was to show enough of a commitment to Turkey's defense to deter a Syrian attack.
BARACK OBAMA'S tour of four countries in Asia late last month was supposed to reassure America's friends of its commitment to the region, and to deter China from provocations in its many territorial disputes.
Conversely, a United States that is strong, that is firm in its alliance commitments is much more likely to deter conflict.
Unless, of course, as with the Greek asylum crackdown, the whole thing is designed to massively flout the official commitment to legal and humane treatment, and to deter travel.
Diplomats in all the Baltic states argue that only robust economic sanctions, combined with strong signals about the West's military commitment to the Baltic states, will deter Russians from further expansionism.
