$15B Military Buildup on Guam - wrong time, wrong place

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Sunday October 19, 2008 · 11:07 PM PDT

2008/10/19 · 23:07

In response to pressure from the Japanese to pull US troops out of Okinawa, the Department of Defense (DoD) has proposed to relocate 8000 US Marines and 9000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam. The minimum cost of the infrastructure to support this Guam Buildup is estimated to be between $10-15B, some $3B of which is expected to come from a loan from the Government of Japan. DoD has established a Program Management Office for the Guam Buildup and awarded a consulting contract to help manage the ambitious program. The final draft of the Environmental Impact Statement is expected in late 2009.

DoD opted to relocate the Marines to Guam rather than Hawaii or the US mainland because they would be closer to potential hot spots in the Western Pacific. But what does the US really gain by being a couple hours closer in air time or a couple days closer in sailing time, and at what cost? It is virtually impossible to imagine a scenario where we would commit ground troops on foreign soil without a buildup of tensions and at least several days notice.

Rather than spend $15B upgrading Guam's infrastructure and hazarding a very fragile island environment, it would be better to re-station the Marines at Camp Pendleton.

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