Fortress Guam resists US military buildup

[ensho]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/LE14Dh01.html


United States presidents rarely visit the US territory of Guam (or Guahan in the Chamorro language), but President Barack Obama may visit in June 2010. This will be a significant stop for residents of this small island, 48 kilometers miles long and 13 kilometers wide, dubbed, "Where America's day begins".

Guam is the southern-most island in the Northern Mariana chain that also includes Rota, Tinian and Saipan. It is the homeland of indigenous Chamorro people whose ancestors first came to the islands nearly 4,000 years ago. Formed from two volcanoes, Guam's rocky core now constitutes an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" for the United States military in the words of Brigadier General Douglas H Owens, a former commanding officer of Guam's Andersen air force base.

The reason given for Obama's unprecedented visit to the island was given in a White House conference call by Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, as this:

While there he'll not only visit with commanders but also with local Guam authorities. And he's going to make sure that we have a very realistic and sustainable and well thought out approach to Guam. He has a vision which we refer to here as "one Guam, green Guam," which is apropos of many of the questions heretofore, designed to make sure that we're investing in capabilities on Guam that are sustainable over the course of time, that are clean energy focused, that do take very concrete steps to reduce the high price of energy on the island, and obviously will lead to an end state that's politically, operationally, and environmentally sustainable.

So the president, while there, will also take a hard look at the project and infrastructure needs on Guam. We'll obviously be looking at base-related construction that must take into accounts (sic) the needs of not only of an increased troop presence or Marine presence, but also the needs of the people of Guam, the impact on the environment, and the important role that the United States plays within the region ... I'd rather just make clear that we have a commitment to the people of Guam, and that as part of our ongoing plan for our presence in the region, are going to make very common-sense and important investments in the infrastructure there.

Barely mentioned in the shadows of these fine words with their emphasis on sustainability are the real reasons for Obama's visit: to rally community and official support for the Department of Defense plan to relocate 8,600 US Marines from Okinawa (Japan) to Guam, provide additional live-fire training sites, expand Andersen air force base, create berthing for a nuclear aircraft carrier, and erect a missile defense system on the island.

Despite their economic dependence on the US military, which occupies one-third of the island's landmass and dominates the island's economy, people in Guam have expressed strong opposition to the proposed enormous increase in the US military presence on economic, environmental, and cultural grounds. Due to Guam's status as an unincorporated US territory, however, local communities are highly constrained in their ability to influence the political process.

-two page snip-

He should visit the Hurao Cultural Camp that teaches young children Chamorro language and culture. He should hear the Chamorro people's deep love for their land, seeking to honor their ancestors and provide for their children. Above all, he should rethink the expansion of US bases in Okinawa, Guam and South Korea.

A small fraction of the 2011 federal budget, proposed at $3.8 trillion and including $708 billion for the DoD, could provide residents of Guam with needed medical and educational facilities and improved infrastructure. It could clean-up contaminated water, underwrite job-training programs, and provide for projects that emphasize economic, environmental and cultural sustainability and security. This is a vision for one Guam that leaders in Washington and Guam should consider and support.
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hope Obama takes his empathy with him to Guam

[ensho]

1. need to pay more attention to this, Obama is going there

nt

[unhappycamper]

2. "Fortress Guam" sums it up nicely. n/t