The result was exactly right. We had an impact on the way the Serbs were thinking. So you can see from our recent activities that our forward deployed forces are extremely flexible, and can carry out many missions. These examples, plus others like Haiti, Somalia, and North Korea, within the last year show how naval forces fit into this new-post Cold War world. The key to stopping, or better yet, preventing conflict, is being there early with forward deployed naval forces.
Reactive presence is too late when deterring regional conflicts.
Permanent presence with troops on the ground is often too costly and creates burdens on our allies. If bases on foreign soil are not possible, we must then provide systematic presence by regularly operating naval forces in the region. When we are not there, our national commitments appear uncertain. Naval presence is a credible and economical way to underscore our interests and commitments, to nourish our partnerships, and secure the great common. It's about partnership from the sea.