Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's scheduled visit to Papua New Guinea in January is indicative of the Obama administration's desire to significantly enhance U.S. engagement throughout Oceania. Despite postponement of her trip following the earthquake in Haiti, inclusion of the Pacific Islands region on the Secretary's itinerary was intended to signal a renewed commitment to an area that spans one-third of the globe. Gerard A. Finin outlines the importance of the Pacific Islands region to the United States.

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