U

nited States President Barack Obama'€™s total failure to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin annexing Crimea from Ukraine will haunt his tour of four Asian countries this week, described by the White House as a part of his '€œrebalancing'€ act and to reaffirm the US commitment to Asia and the Pacific amid the reality that China is now more assertive against US allies and strategic partners.

They know they cannot expect much from Obama'€™s administration, which is still preoccupied with its own economy and hostile Republicans. Its key Asian allies '€” including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines '€” realize their military dependence on the US should be reduced but their militaries and economic capacity are still far behind those of China.

They also know that being too close to Washington can irritate China while their economies also depend much on the world'€™s second-largest economy.

A strong US military presence in Japan and South Korea is needed for their strategic national interests, while still being domestically controversial.

The Philippines is considering reopening the former US military base in Subic because it cannot stand alone against Beijing.

Obama arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday as a part of his eight-day tour of Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Malaysia. China, Japan'€™s biggest security challenge with its claims in the East and South China seas, will be at the top of the agenda in his meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. China continues to adopt agressive and confrontational approaches to its former colonial master.

Meanwhile the US military presence in Japan irks its people, while still more are aware of the need to reduce
security dependence on the US given China'€™s increasing clout.

To the anxiety of its former colonies, Japan is building up its military capacity with a strong temptation to develop nuclear weapons to counter China. South Korea has complex relations with Japan, but the two should cooperate closely to counter the nuclear threats of North Korea. Seoul also has security problems with China.

Obama cannot repeat what his idol president John F. Kennedy achieved in October 1962 when he succeded in forcing then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to withdraw Soviet missiles from Cuba.

Obama has failed with Putin, and cannot threaten China. US allies fully realize Obama'€™s dilemma '€” and the need to overcome their own issues with China.