The Seabees are working in  with crewmembers from the  hospital ship USNS Mercy in Cambodia supporting Pacific Partnership. Photo by J. Husman

By Lieutenant General Tariq Waseem Ghazi (Ret), Pakistan’s Secretary of Defense from 2005-2007 & Rachel Fleishman, Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific, the Center for Climate and Security

This month a major multinational military exercise, the Pacific Partnership, launches in South and Southeast Asia. At its center is the hospital ship USNS Mercy, with an international team of civilian and military specialists in humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Its mission is to build response capacity in one of the most disaster-prone regions of the world. South Asian nations should initiate a similar joint exercise.

Why? Because climate change is a litmus test.  With today’s divisive politics, nations struggle to predict, prevent and prepare for disasters. Collaboration increases the likelihood of success – and strengthens the foundation for peace in the region.   (more…)