The Foreign Service Journal, September 2006

in the concluding chapter, “What Do We Do?” They grant that U.S. lead- ership in the region remains central on major issues ranging from security and counterterrorism to democracy promotion, trade and investment, but warn that “the exercise of American power is becoming more problematic and Asians themselves must take on more responsibility for regional stabil- ity and their own well-being.” They then make thoughtful recommenda- tions for U.S. policy toward each of the region’s major players. One caveat: In keeping with their geopolitical weight, China, Japan and the Koreas receive the bulk of the authors’ attention. Thus, readers who are interested in Southeast Asia will find somewhat less here to engage them. But that said, Chasing the Sun more than fulfills the aspiration Amb. Abramowitz expressed in an inter- view in this magazine’s July-August issue: “Steve [Bosworth] and I want- ed to do a book that would provide a fresh, broad analysis of East Asia, what the U.S. was doing in the area, and what it might do better.” Steven Alan Honley, an FSO from 1985 to 1997, is the editor of the Journal. S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 85 B O O K S Abramowitz and Bosworth proceed from the premise that the era of absolute American pre-eminence in East Asia is over.