US military buildup in Guam, redeployment from Okinawa

[G_j]

http://www.pri.org/world/asia/us-military-buildup-guam1816.html

US military buildup in Guam
From PRI's The World04 January, 2010 04:54:00

The U.S. military plans to redeploy thousands of Marines and their families to Guam from the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Story by Akiko Fujita for PRI's "The World"

The population of Guam is expected to increase by 50 percent in the next four years. That's because the U.S. military plans to redeploy thousands of Marines and their families from the Japanese island of Okinawa. The move could bring an economic boom to the Pacific island but it threatens to strain Guam's infrastructure.

The US and Japan agreed to the troop transfer three years ago, to reduce US troop presence in Okinawa.

Joe Arnett with the Guam Chamber of Commerce says the move will transform the island. "This investment into Guam in unprecedented. Guam has never seen this level of investment into the island ever before."

Arnett expects the military buildup to create 30,000 new jobs on the island. Many will be temporary construction jobs filled by foreign workers. But Arnett says high paying; permanent jobs will stay in the community.

It sounds like a good opportunity for an island struggling with eight percent unemployment. But Senator Judi Guthertz says Guam isn't ready to shoulder the load.

"We're not going to be ready unless resources are made available to the civilian community," said Guthertz.

..more..

[bemildred]

1. So we are finally getting kicked out of Okinawa? nt

[PacerLJ35]

6. No

The military is moving the USMC infantry out of Okinawa...they were the source of the majority of the "incidents" that went on there through the past couple of decades. The USAF will still operate Kadena Air Base, and the Navy will still have a few facilities there. I think the plan is to continue building the new airfield to replace MCAS Iwakuni, but I know the locals are opposed to it since it'll eat up space on the island. The Army used to have a presence there many years ago (I was an Army dependent living on Okinawa in the early 1970s), but there's only a handful of Army now.

[bemildred]

7. So it's a gradual process then.

Not what it used to be, but not completely gone yet either.

[PacerLJ35]

9. It won't be completely gone, but vastly reduced...

The USMC infantry units comprised the bulk of the US forces on the island, and they also comprised the bulk of the 18-21 year old rowdy males on the island as well. Kadena Air Base is pretty big, but mostly flying units full of officers and NCOs (ie, people with more responsibility). Same for the Marine air base as well.

[gateley]

2. Why? nt

[G_j]

3. see reply #1

at least we have agreed to start shrinking our presence.

[PDJane]

4. Because the military presence

has been unpalatable to the Island of Okinawa for years...DUIs, reckless driving, sexual assaults, the usual bad behaviour. The US has never bothered to reign in the behaviours, so.............

[PacerLJ35]

8. Never bothered?

Ask yourself this question...with a population of several tens of thousands of people, would you expect that none would ever get a DUI, or engage in any bad behavior? I'm not condoning the behavior of some of them, but in general you'll always have some that screw it up for everyone else.

FYI, in most cases, the SOFA with Japan allows Japan to prosecute US servicemen (and women) in Japanese courts, and this has happened on a number of occasions. There are a number of restrictions and curfews in Okinawa...attempts to reign in the behaviors. According to you, however, the US just turns a blind eye to the events and shoots the Japanese the bird...that's not the case.

Regardless, the residents have tired of the large numbers of military on the island, particularly the Marines. They have the reputation of causing the majority of the problems, so that's why they are moving to Guam (and they are also the most numerous). When they go, the US presence on the island will consist of a US airbase (with a much smaller population of less-rowdy airmen) and a few Naval installations. Things should ease up on the islanders.

[MisterP]

10. don't forget the road through an artillery range nt

[me b zola]

5. The Chamorros aren't exactly enthusiastic of US military presence in Guam either

Similar to Okinawa, Chamorros, the native people of Guam, are torn between the financial benefits of having US military instillations on their island and wanting to be free of the military presence. Of course the big difference is that Guam is a US territory, but many there want their independence.



edited for spelling

[G_j]

11. there have been demonstrations

against the build up

[Ex Lurker]

13. I was told they prefer to be called Guamanian rather than Chamorro n/t

[me b zola]

15. I'm only going by what the people that I spoke to in Guam told me

Of course, it could be some prefer to be called one way, others another. :hi:

[Obamanaut]

16. I was stationed at NAS Agana, Guam 1968 - '71. We were not all

that popular even then.

[onethatcares]

17. I guess the financial benefits will far outweigh anything else

Maybe they'll get a chance to take a crack at the 401K crapshoot, among the other great things the U.S. military will provide.


Gauddammmint, we have troops almost everywhere. What are our leaders so afraid of? Hell, the corporations already deal directly with a communist regime in China while shutting down a communist regime in Cuba. WTF is wrong with this picture?

[Goldstein1984]

12. There's really no difference between a territory and a colony

The people of Guam are subject to U.S. laws, but have no voting representation in Congress.

Flash back about 235 years...

The people of the American colonies are subject to British law, but have no voting representation in Parliament.

With the end of the Spanish-American War, the Chamoru (Chamorro) people exchanged one colonial power for another.

[G_j]

14. well said

good points