US to host inaugural meeting of Western Hemisphere military heads on Feb 11: What's expected?

Top defense officials from 34 countries will reportedly meet in February to discuss common security priorities in the Western Hemisphere, the US military said on Friday, as per Reuters. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will host the inaugural Western Hemisphere Chiefs of Defense Conference on February 11.

"Nations across the Western Hemisphere share deep historical ties, common values, and interest in regional stability which supports long-term security and prosperity for the United States and our shared neighborhood," the US military said in a statement.

The meeting is expected to focus, in part, on enhancing regional coordination in fighting drug trafficking and transnational criminal organisations, the report added.

Gen. Dan Caine's "rare meeting" next month of dozens of military chiefs from across the Western Hemisphere is seen as another sign of the "region’s rising prominence in the Trump administration," the NYT reported.

After the US commando raid that seized President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, and this week’s contentious debate between President Trump and European allies over the future of Greenland, the unusual gathering casts a spotlight on the potential military implications of the administration’s “Donroe Doctrine” and a new security strategy that prioritises the Western Hemisphere.

“Participating defense leaders will explore the importance of strong partnerships, continued cooperation, and united efforts to counter criminal and terrorist organizations, as well as external actors undermining regional security and stability,” General Caine’s office said in statement on Friday.

In January, the United States attacked Venezuela and deposed President Nicolas Maduro, in Washington's most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.