"This is the real agenda of that state visit." Leo deduced, "On the surface, they talk about tariffs, trade, rare earths, and soybeans, but the real bargaining chips being exchanged under the table are the Middle East's energy landscape."
"Think a layer deeper," Roosevelt continued to guide him.
Leo thought for a moment. "With the US Army deeply bogged down in the Middle East, the military pressure in the Asia-Pacific region will ease up." His eyes brightened as he spoke. "Their greatest security anxiety comes from the Western Pacific Ocean. Now that the United States' attention and military resources are pinned down by the Persian Gulf, they've gained greater strategic breathing room in the Asia-Pacific."
"So, the other layer of meaning behind this visit is that Washington needs to ensure that while they act in the Middle East, nothing goes wrong in the Asia-Pacific."
