Peace building should be in Obama's 'pivot' legacy

US President Barack Obama's 11th and final presidential visit to Asia was meant to showcase the United States' commitment to his "pivot" to the region. Something he hopes will be a big part of his political legacy.

Responding to doubts over whether, or to what extent, his successor would carry forward his pet project, Obama assured regional leaders at the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, "America's interest in the Asia-Pacific ... is not a passing fad. We are here to stay."

Of course the US will not lose interest in the Asia-Pacific. Nowhere in the rest of the world can one find comparable vitality, potential and dedication to development.