The Politics of Maritime Power : Routledge : 9781857434040 : 1857434048 : 24 May 2007 : Since the crucial maritime battles that were fought during the Second World War in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the post-war period, which saw a naval standoff between a vast US navy and a growing Soviet navy, the focus of international maritime power has changed. Major maritime powers have deployed warships, aircraft carriers and heavy land forces around the globe, for purposes of diplomacy, such as in maintaining far-flung alliances; for deterrent purposes, such as in the Taiwan Straits; for warfighting, such as in its crucial support roles in recent conflicts in Afghanistan and both Gulf Wars; and for complex emergencies, such as tsunami and earthquake rescue in Indonesia and Pakistan. Increasingly, maritime power is employed in counter-terrorism, such as in joint patrols, counter-terrorism exercises and in intercepting ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Th