Top defense officials from 34 countries are expected to meet in February to discuss joint security priorities in the Western Hemisphere, the US military said on Friday, according to Reuters. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will host the inaugural Western Hemisphere Defense Chiefs Conference on February 11.
“The nations of the Western Hemisphere share deep historical ties, common values and an interest in regional stability that supports the long-term security and prosperity of the United States and our common neighborhood,” the US military said in a statement.
Invitee?
Among those invited are top military leaders from Denmark, Britain and France, which have territory in the area, the New York Times reported.
The meeting is expected to focus in part on strengthening regional coordination in the fight against drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations, the report added.
Gen. Dan Caine’s “rare meeting” next month with dozens of military chiefs from across the Western Hemisphere is seen as another sign of the region’s “growing importance in the Trump administration,” the NYT reported.
Following the US commando raid that seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and a contentious debate between President Trump and European allies over the future of Greenland this week, the unusual gathering is casting a spotlight on the potential military implications of the administration’s “Donroe Doctrine” and a new security strategy that favors the Western Hemisphere.
“Participating defense leaders will explore the importance of strong partnerships, continued cooperation and unified efforts to combat criminal and terrorist organizations, as well as external actors that undermine regional security and stability,” General Caine’s office said in a statement Friday.
In January, the United States attacked Venezuela and ousted President Nicolas Maduro, Washington’s most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.
