The Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC), which serves as the secretariat of the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement, has expressed its disgust with the US military build up on Guam, specifically the deployment of B-1 and B-52 bombers there.
The PCRC's strong reaction was in response to media reports on February 5 that Guam island leaders "support the build up of military activity" on the island following statements by US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld that Washington was considering deploying bombers to Guam as a warning to North Korea that the US is capable of attacking despite the US focus on Iraq.
Guam parliamentary speaker Dan Pangelinan has remarked that US military spending, which is likely to be around US$50 billion between 2004 and 2009, was "going to be good for Guam".
The PCRC demilitarisation campaigner Ema Tagicakibau countered that "no amount of military might can guarantee the security of any country. If anything, it only contributes to further insecurity as US enemies — and there are many — may consider key US bases in the Pacific as strategic targets. This was the case during World War II when islanders were exposed to a war between foreign powers that had nothing to do with them."
The PCRC has urged Guam's leaders not to trade off their peoples' indigenous rights, cultural heritage and dignity for the sake of short-term economic gain. It called on all Pacific leaders to stand up and be counted by strongly making their views known to the US government.
"The security of the Pacific and its peoples are at stake and the onus is on our leaders to take a stand", the PCRC stated.
[Visit the PCRC web site at <http://www.pcrc.org.fj>.]
From Green Left Weekly, February 19, 2003.
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