The two US allies in East Asia face a choice: cooperate on defence or make peace with China, says political science professor Robert Kelly. BUSAN, South Korea: The United States has embarked on yet another war in the Middle East . This has major ramifications for US allies in East Asia. Washington has long sought to pivot to Asia and reduce its commitments in the Middle East. With its war on Iran potentially lasting a month or longer , it should now be clear that the pivot is not a priority for