Kuala Lampur, Sept. 6 -- The movement of the USS George Washington from Japan toward the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln deserves Asean's attention for reasons extending beyond naval strategy.

Its redeployment potentially creates a temporary gap in American carrier presence in the Western Pacific. Such gaps are not unprecedented and should not be exaggerated.

Yet the episode demonstrates a fundamental reality of international politics: even the world's foremost military power cannot deploy unlimited resources everywhere simultaneously.

When the Middle East demands greater American attention, resources available elsewhere can be affected.

For Southeast Asia, the lesson is straightforward. External powers have global prio...