welcome to "this week in defense news." i'm vago muradian. what's next now that the supreme court has struck down the stolen valor act? we talk to one experts who's devoted himself to unmasking those who claim military deck races they -- decorations they didn't earn. but first the obama administration is ramping up diplomatic military and trade engagements the asia and the vast pacific trying to strike a delicate balance between reassuring regional allies and trading partners without antagonizing an increasingly assertive china that claims the entire south china sea its own. our next guest has been instrumental in spear heeding efforts in the region. we met with kirk campbell assistant secretary of state for east asian and pacific affairs last week where we

talked about the administration's rebalancing strategy. i asked him to explain the pivot and why it's so important. >> i would -- define our purposes in a larger context actually. i think by any measure, the lion's share of the 21st century is going to be written in asia in terms of the fastest growing economies, tremendous economic potential. a lot of security challenges. and opportunities that are virtually unprecedented for the united states. so i think our engagement is with the region as a whole. -- region as a whole. you know you really didn't divide the region in terms of like you know some countries that are anxious and others that are friendly. overall, every country in asia wants a better relationship with china and also want to have a good relationship with the united states. our determination is that we want a broad based multifaceted engagement that spans military

and strategic engagement necessary trades and investment, people to people engagement. and thousand to work together -- how to work together to show common purpose on this things that animate policy in the 2 it's century. >> beijing does however though see the pivot as a boxing end given the speed with which the united states has concluded agreements with australia, with burma, with india, with philippines and singapore and with vietnam. at the same time some of the nations -- we're increasing the presence there and some of the nations are investing in military capability. could this cause the very crisis we hope to avoid? >> i would simply say at the same time that we are investing in new arrangements and new relationships, we're also investing very heavily in our relationships with china. so this is not some sort of zero sum game. we appreciate that it is essential for the united states and china to find ways to work together in the 21st century. there will be inevitable areas

of competition. the key is to make sure that that competition plays out in an arena that does not spike tensions in the east pacific region. it will not be easy. there are enormous challenges anytime in the global system where there is an arrival rapidly of a new power on the scene that is always challenging. one of the enormous pressing challenges of modern diplomacy how the united states is china is going to get along. that will not be easy to do and it will be in the works and making for decades to come. >> tao is going to be leaving office. what do we know about the new man in the office and the sort of pressures he's going to be facing especially the pressure to act perhaps or to respond to the repositioning as a ng his r

visits to the -- reciprocal visits to the united states and also the visit to china with vice president biden. i got to spend a little bit of time with him. at this juncture he is one of the most circumspect leaders you could ever imagine. but what's often lost on americans, job number one, probably two, three and four for the central leadership. these are domestic jobs. what to do about the economy. what to do about social stability. how to ensure that pressures don't build up on the domestic scene. and that's where his primary focus will be. clearly in the last serve months there has been a slowing in the chinese economy. that has what's really captured the attention of the senior chinese leadership. in truth when he came to the united states it was very clear. that his early experience on a farm and traveling around iowa and other parts of the united

states had an enormous impression on him. and i think during many hours of discussion, he made clear that despite the challenges, he too, like chinese leaders who have come before him, he too wants a good solid substantial relationship between the united states and china. >> do you have any concerns that -- that is he going to be a leader who is going to pick up the phone, which has been a concern that we've had that when there's a small crisis it sometimes becomes difficult to reach chinese officials. >> it's a really good question and you know i will say and again it's hard at my level to interact with the guys and hard to kind of get a sense. but unlike hu and wen who were often -- they were very formal individuals. i was struck that chi would often stay at dinner and have a beer after.

would kind of interact, was at least in certain settings more informal. we'll see how that plays out over time. obviously very different responsibilities coming this time and the next time he'll interact with. but i -- it's almost impossible to predict the kind of leadership that any new group in beijing will -- the kind of leadership that they will exhibit in advance. >> right. >> and so i think in many respects, we have to wait, we have to prepare. and i think the approach that we've taken in the asia pacific region is balanced, multifaceted. is the right way ahead. >> all the philippine territory, china claims the shoal as its own and they had a recent high tension situation there. given the recent treaty with ma nil will. at what point does the united states get pulled into the altercation over what?

>> well, thanks. well look, asia is full of territorial disputes. and questions centered with claims of -- associated with claims of sovereignty in south china sea and other places. the united states is very careful. we're not claiming in any of these and we try to take a position that our primary interests are principalled and strategic. freedom of navigation, maintenance of peace and stability. that commerce, legal commerce be unimpeded. that problems are not solved through coercion. and that international legal principles and multilateral collaboration is the best way forward. we have urged philippine and chinese interlocketters to take necessary steps to -- to deescalate from the crisis. we are -- i think pleased at the reestablishment of dialogue between beijing and manila. this will be an issue that will

take substantial effort. we are al -- we are coming into the region forum. we expect issues around the south china sea. >> the code of conduct for example. >> will be -- key topics of conversation. the united states is not going to shirk from its interests in maintaining these principled positions going forward. >> more with kirk campbell the assistant secretary of state for

we're back with dr. kurt campbell the assistant secretary of state for east asian and pacific affairs. dr. campbell, china has been investing considerable sums in its navy but also a whole series of patrols and fisheries and other sorts of vessels. analysts say they're intentionally intended to circumvent u.s. treaty obligations specifically this things that we would really regard as aggression by warships. will the united states consider aggression by these types of ships as the same as it would from a warship? when it comes to the allies? >> on your first point it's very clear that you have a proliferation of agencies coastal ministries and the like that are building naval and -- >> fleets. >> well, you know, coastal patrol vessels for a host of issues. fishing and the like. and they are active in areas

approximate to china's -- proximate to china's coast. look our goal again is these principled engagements on maritime issues. maintenance and peace and stability. using legal practices. we apply those not -- vis-a-vis one aspect of government and not towards another. like we are very consistent across the board. >> right. >> and the tensions are raised, we wouldn't say oh it's just because it's another agency. >> right. >> so to peek. so i think -- speak. so i think we have a very consistent approach in that regard. >> secretary clinton when she isn't the liaison -- >> regional forum. >> is going to be discussing the south china sea code of conduct. do you encouraged about the process but details are a little bit sketchy. what is it and when will it be implemented? >> well, lookments matily this is about a dip low -- look, ultimatelies this about a

diplomatic between china and asion. there is clearly progress on dialogue and issued associated with how to resolve disputes. but the devil is in the details. and we've only generally been briefed on those issues. we think some of this work really encompasses an important first step. but we're going to have to see more as we go forward. and we are under no illusions that this will be a difficult, multiyear challenge in order to come up with a -- an agreed upon framework to maintain -- >> right. >> peace and substantial. how the deal with -- stability. how to deal with issues associated with fishing. how to deal with potentially going after -- >> right. >> oil and gas resources. these are enormously challenging matters and just by the by, the differences do not break down simply between china and asion. i think as you know many of the

contending differences are among as ion states. this is among the most difficult challenges in modern -- international relations. >> why doesn't the united states take sides? because some of these countries are very old allies of the united states. at some point wouldn't it be reassuring to them for us to say look we're stands ugh up for you? >> we're extremely clear about the the strength of -- the tenth of our commitment to -- strength of our commitment to our treaty allies and we think that our defense and security treaties are strong. robust. and pertinent. we also believe that many of these issues are best dealt with outside of the security framework. they're best dealt with in international legal parameters. and we have taken a very consistent position over decades and frankly, we think some of these issues are better

managed than solved. and that's our best way forward. >> let me ask you about japan. you've dealt with the issue for most of your professional life in terms of striking a treaty about the future of u.s. forces in okinawa. that's raised hackles in congress. why is this a good deal from your perspective? >> there's so many reasons why this is the right approach 789 one of the things you're seen in the last five years or so is that we had a basing structure that put too many eggs in too few baskets. huge numbers in okinawa. huge numbers in korea. what i think we've been able to do in a bipartisan context that i think is generally understood strategically is invest more in a number of places. guam, singapore. increasingly in the philippines. australia, creating operational

constructs and concepts that integrate the pacific with the indian oceans. these are about diversifying our presence to make sure that we can respond rapidly. and that no one base or no one -- set area is overly vulnerable either politically or militarily. so i think it's an entirely appropriate approach. that will need will be sustained -- to be stained over a long pet -- sustained over a long period of time and we have to recognize that when you engage with a country intensely militarily it's a fraught political collage and it needs -- challenge and it needs constant attention and it's in many respects unnatural to base forces, yours toes on another condition -- your forces on another country's soil. we have to be very attentive to the domestic politics. that's what we've tried to do in okinawa. guam, australia, and the rest of the region. we've made clear that we do not want to go back to the old era

of sort of traditional bases. but are looking for state-of- the-art joint opportunities for training, for joint facilities and the like. we think that's the right way forward. >> tokyo has japan is absolutely critical in what we want to achieve regionally. we want japan to stand up and play a more prominent role but the japanese have been very wary of that. despite statements. regional partners have been wary of that in part because of japan's world war ii history. what role do we want japan to play and what role is japan comfortable in playing in the broaders strategy? >> i think your first point is that we want a japan that's more confident. people forget that one of the most substantial players in afghanistan in providing

assistance behind the scenes has been japan. japan has gone through a series of challenging domestic circumstances. the prime minister recently moved forward on the tax policy that's consumed an enormous amount of their time. we want them working more closely with south korea, with ore countries -- other countries. we do find that the -- the specter of history often comes into these complex relations and we want for countries to have an honesty log, not only about the -- honest dialogue, not only about the future. but the past. we think that's important and ultimately the united states will not be successful in asia without a strong relationship with japan and a japan that feels confident and. mystic about the future. >> sir, thank you very much. >> great to be with you. thank you very much. up next, how to stop fakeers who claim military awards they didn't earn now

that the supreme court has struck down the stolen valor act. stay tuned.

in a recent 6-3 decision the supreme court struck down the stolen valor act of 2005 which made it a crime to claim awards you didn't earn in the military. justicest claimed the law was overly broad. the question now is how to stop these fakeers. doug sterner has devoted the past decade to exposing the fakeers. he cur rated the military times hall of valor a sister station to defense news which is the largest data base of military valor awards and long argued that one solution is a coffin hencive national -- comprehensive national data base. >> good to be back with you. >> i'm sorry about the decision but how effective was the law

and did it help catch and prosecutor fakeers? >> first call i got after the law was to my wife. i said honey in 2004, when you did this law, most americans could not believe people would sink so low as to portray themselves as arounded warrior or combat veteran. all of the publicity and act and everything surrounding stolen valor made the american public aware just as sew lee toe said it was an epidemic. in that regard it's been a very successful law and somewhere around 60 prosecutions and thousands of phonies outed. >> but what happens to all of them now? i mean justice brew jar, what happens to those guys now? >> it's still against the law to wear a medal that you didn't receive. it's still against the law to wear a military uniform but the fakeers that claim so like the guy today in durango, colorado who claimed he was delta force. we can't touch him.

>> that's because the law has been struck down now. >> exactly. >> justice briar said to establish a national data base, something you've been calling for for some time. is that the solution at this point? >> it's a solution. it's not a panacea because there's a data base of the men and women -- or one woman who received the medal of honor and alvarez which was the case that was struck down claimed to be a medal of honor recipient. >> water boarded at the time. >> exactly. it's not a panacea but it would cut it down certainly and all nine supreme court justices as well as the ninth circuit court all said such a data base would be a fix. >> now, justice solito dismissed that saying -- noting the pentagon says that's impossible. is it impossible for the pentagon to put this together? >> no, that's based on a 2009 report of the house and senate. i responded to their targets and completely -- arguments and completely debunked each and every one of them.

it's not impossible. we know how to do it. at military times we are doing it. >> that's just yourself. >> basically with the help of the tech staff and everybody up there. but we've got the infrastructure and place and we're doing it and we're demonstrating it can be done. >> is there support in congress for creating a national data base and how much would it cost? >> oh yes, jason chavez from utah had a hearing on that and be talking again with john tester the senator from montana about that. so there is support in congress for it. now it's got the endorsement of the supreme court as well as others and we will move ahead. i've estimated it would cost approximately 8 million to $10 million to have a complete tea da base that's 98% at least complete and dod says it was 95%. >> how many years would that take do you think? >> three years. >> three years, doug, thank you very much. thanks for doing a very

important job for us, we really appreciate its. coming up my notebook. i didn't quite know thiwhat to expect.our. i'd seen the images on tv, but until you're in the thick of it... anyway the guys in my unit who'd been here before, told me just ride it out, keep my head down and remember the reason i'm here. and we're paying for it all with my cashrewards card from navy federal. we're earning cash back! bring it. brought it. brung. 4 million members. 4 million stories. navy federal credit union.

at the same time the supreme court upheld president obama's health care law. the court also struck down the stolen valor act which made it a crime to claim military and combat awards you didn't earn. the justices found alvarez's lies about his phony military service and medals of honor reappearancable. but the challenge now is to come up with a way to end the

liars, fakes and frauds. military members and the public can track awards with a data base but the pentagon steadfastly claimed it's not possible. but military times hall of valor archivist has built a data base of 1,005 citations for bronze star and high revaluer awards. some 200 million more records exist but they must be exexacted. it would be a national treasure. honoring military heroes and making it easy to spot fakeers. thank you for joining us for "this week in defense news." i'm vago muradian. you can watch the program online at defensenewstv.com or you can e-mail me at vagosdefensenews.com. until then have a great week. i'll be back next week at the same time. [ captions by: caption colorado, llc 800-775-7838 email: comments@captioncolorado.com ]