Pacific Dream? The Evolution of US Strategic Culture and Alliances in the Indo-Pacific

This book analyses America’s alliances and strategic culture in the Indo-Pacific, from the Presidency of George W. Bush to Joe Biden. It advances the notion of the ‘Pacific Dream’, an American vision for Indo-Pacific integration. Its historical chapter covers the period from 1951 to 2001, presenting the reader with the evolution of Washington’s most successful Indo-Pacific alliance network, the San Francisco System. The chapters that follow analyse every presidency from 2001 onward, focusing on defining the Pacific Dream and arguing that the San Francisco System is becoming outdated and slowly replaced by formats like the Quad, Quad Plus, or AUKUS. There is particular attention given to the growing importance American allies have in Washington’s Pacific Dream and strategic culture. A case is made that American strategic culture is blending with concepts from allied strategic cultures, such as Japan, Australia, or South Korea.

Alin Barbantan graduated with a PhD in US foreign policy from the Institute of the Americas at University College London. He has expertise in US international relations in the Indo-Pacific region as well as experience in the Romanian NGO and government sectors.