--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, the United States is a Pacific…" description: "\"Well, the United States is a Pacific power. And we have always had a presence in the Pacific.\" — Leon Panetta" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/leon-panetta-7577_pacific_well-the-united-states-is-a-pacific-powe_1472887.jpg" --- # Well, the United States is a Pacific power. And we have… ![“Well, the United States is a Pacific power. And we have always had a presence in the Pacific.” quote by Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/leon-panetta-7577_pacific_well-the-united-states-is-a-pacific-powe_1472887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/leon-panetta-7577_pacific_well-the-united-states-is-a-pacific-powe_1472887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/leon-panetta-7577_pacific_well-the-united-states-is-a-pacific-powe_1472887.jpg) > “Well, the United States is a Pacific power. And we have always had a presence in the Pacific.” [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The United States maintains a strategic presence in the Pacific, reflecting its role as a regional power **In simple terms:** America is a Pacific power with ongoing presence Key Takeaway Recognize strategic importance of regional engagement Themes geopolitics security power Mood formal strategic Type political analytical When to use this quote - military deployment - diplomatic negotiations - trade policy - regional alliances - defense planning Key Concepts international relations strategic studies Questions to Reflect On - How should the US balance influence with cooperation? - What are the risks of a dominant Pacific stance? A Different Perspective Presence may provoke rivalry or overextension ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pacific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [By the end of this decade, a majority of our Navy and Air Force fleets will be based out of the Pacific, because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/by-the-end-of-this-decade-a-majority-of-our-navy-and-air-force-fleets/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The United States has been a Pacific nation for over two centuries. That's not going to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-united-states-has-been-a-pacific-nation-for-over-two-centuries/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-fundamental-premise-is-that-neither-the-united-states-or-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [China is a major power in the Pacific and I think we are dealing with some common threats in that region: the whole issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/china-is-a-major-power-in-the-pacific-and-i-think-we-are-dealing-with/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Companies are not charitable enterprises: They hire workers to make profits. In the United States, this logic still works. In Europe, it hardly does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/companies-are-not-charitable-enterprises-they-hire-workers-to-make/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. That's never been true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-you-chose-a-particular-religion-you-were-siding-with-the/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. 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Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) ## More by Leon Panetta > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The one thing that I remember from all of my intelligence briefings and my dealings with the Russians is that when you deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-one-thing-that-i-remember-from-all-of-my-intelligence-briefings/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-fundamental-premise-is-that-neither-the-united-states-or-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If you're a terrorist, you're a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-you-re-a-terrorist-you-re-a-terrorist/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [As a result of the kind of partisan trench warfare that's going on in Washington, the special interests on both sides basically drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/as-a-result-of-the-kind-of-partisan-trench-warfare-that-s-going-on-in/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [These days, it takes only seconds - seconds - for a picture, a photo, to suddenly become an international headline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/these-days-it-takes-only-seconds-seconds-for-a-picture-a-photo-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The consequence could be that we would have an escalation that would take place that would not only involve many lives, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-consequence-could-be-that-we-would-have-an-escalation-that-would/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Sexual assault has no place in the military. It is a violation of everything that the US military stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/sexual-assault-has-no-place-in-the-military-it-is-a-violation-of/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Frankly, my fundamental beliefs have not changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/frankly-my-fundamental-beliefs-have-not-changed/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [People elected Donald Trump because he acts decisively. He fired James Comey. He didn't fire the entire FBI. If there's something there, the FBI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/people-elected-donald-trump-because-he-acts-decisively-he-fired-james/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If we don't do something to simplify the tax system, we're going to end up with a national police force of internal revenue agents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-we-don-t-do-something-to-simplify-the-tax-system-we-re-going-to/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [If the Iraqis fail to implement the reforms, if they fail to get a handle on the violence, there's nothing the United States can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-the-iraqis-fail-to-implement-the-reforms-if-they-fail-to-get-a/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Clearly, Russia has lied to the world about what's going on in Ukraine. They have clearly violated the cease-fire agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/clearly-russia-has-lied-to-the-world-about-what-s-going-on-in-ukraine/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [In this century, the 21st century, the U.S. recognizes our prosperity and our security depends even more on the Asia-Pacific region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/in-this-century-the-21st-century-the-u-s-recognizes-our-prosperity/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [I think a quality that a national security adviser must have is the ability to set up procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/i-think-a-quality-that-a-national-security-adviser-must-have-is-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) [Explore all 90 Leon Panetta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) ## More Pacific quotes > [The old charters of Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas had given title to strips of territory extending from the Atlantic westward to the Pacific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bushnell-hart/the-old-charters-of-massachusetts-virginia-and-the-carolinas-had/) [Albert Bushnell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bushnell-hart/) > [The Pacific is the best toilet for satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-pacific-is-the-best-toilet-for-satellites/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/how-could-a-readiness-for-war-in-time-of-peace-be-safely-prohibited/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Maybe it is the last chance for Europe to influence standards for world trade. Next it will be between the US and the Asia-Pacific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmar-gabriel/maybe-it-is-the-last-chance-for-europe-to-influence-standards-for/) [Sigmar Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmar-gabriel/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [President Bush paid homage Wednesday to World War II veterans of Normandy at the D-Day Memorial. Later that night, his twin daughters paid a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/argus-hamilton/president-bush-paid-homage-wednesday-to-world-war-ii-veterans-of/) [Argus Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/argus-hamilton/) > [There are still to be found visionary or designing men, who stand ready to advocate the paradox of perpetual peace between the states, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/there-are-still-to-be-found-visionary-or-designing-men-who-stand/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [If a person who lives in God becomes miserable, what is the use of living in God? What is the use of such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/if-a-person-who-lives-in-god-becomes-miserable-what-is-the-use-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [You get one chance to do something about native title. You get perhaps one chance in your life to do something about a republic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-keating/you-get-one-chance-to-do-something-about-native-title-you-get-perhaps/) [Paul Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-keating/) > [ \[John Musker\] got me reading the mythology and we very early on we worked up a basic storyline centered around the character of Maui.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-clements/john-musker-got-me-reading-the-mythology-and-we-very-early-on-we/) [Ron Clements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-clements/) > [I'm so alive. As I stand facing the beauty of the never-ending Pacific Ocean, a late afternoon breeze blows down from the hills behind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/i-m-so-alive-as-i-stand-facing-the-beauty-of-the-never-ending-pacific/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [In some ways I consider myself more Chinese, because I live in San Francisco, which is becoming a predominantly Asian city. I avoid falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/in-some-ways-i-consider-myself-more-chinese-because-i-live-in-san/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [Growing up in the Pacific Northwest as a young girl, whenever I felt emotionally overwhelmed, I would take a walk in the woods. Being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-strong/growing-up-in-the-pacific-northwest-as-a-young-girl-whenever-i-felt/) [Brenda Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-strong/) > [Of course the Japanese and Peruvian fish are different, but it's the same Pacific Ocean. They are different, but I know fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/of-course-the-japanese-and-peruvian-fish-are-different-but-it-s-the/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [Why do we shave? It doesn't seem like a natural activity. There are no examples of shaving in nature. The only creature that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/why-do-we-shave-it-doesn-t-seem-like-a-natural-activity-there-are-no/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Browse all 373 Pacific quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, the United States is a Pacific power. 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