Samoa’s prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, was dismayed to find that her small nation, which occupies one of the oceans in the “Indo-Pacific” region, had been lumped in with other Pacific islands in a U.S. and Japanese-created region. While the concept of the Indo-Pacific is rooted in history and geography, many Pacific island nations are concerned about increased militarization in the region. The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom are working together to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in order to police this region.