YOU look at the "news" of the Marine forces being reduced in half, and proclaim in your editorial that Guam's glass is half empty. I see a glass half full.
Nothing strategically has changed since the U.S. defense forces recognized pre-millennium that China's ascension back to the world stage required a new Pacific posture. This started as a military reality and has been compounded by a potentially dangerous economic power shift. What has changed since China appeared on the radar screen is the world economy has shrunk precipitously and the size of the U.S. government budget deficit has ballooned precipitously. Those, however, are mere tactical issues that must be solved to address the strategic challenge of a rising new world power.
The original plans to better utilize the militarily strategic defense value of the Marianas were always too vague. As such, they invited exaggerated dreams, ambit claims, and hysterical cries from the many faces of the usual opposition. Too many people got too far out in front of realities. Plus, there is always the political theater attendant with such a major move, with local, international as well as defense industry implications.
But, by overbidding the buildup needs, the strategic move was tactically jump-started from the back room planning boards to the negotiation tables where the hard work of addressing the strategic issue was always going to be decided. In short the game is now on; you can tell by the roar of the crowds. Whatever we are told of the "new" plans, they are only the initial ones, the thin end of the wedge.
The crash buildup scenario originally run up the flagpole was never going to happen. Too vague, too expensive, logistically impossible, too many landmines and sharpshooters, politically and otherwise, that needed to be smoked out and uncovered. It was only a warmup act.
Don't be distracted by the noise. This is a move that will take place in the fullness of time. The stakes are too high to back away from the strategic issue.
Professional planners know you don't boil a frog by tossing it in a pot of boiling water. It'll pop right back out. So, how do you boil a frog? Put it in a pot of pleasingly warm water, and turn up the heat. Slowly, slowly.
John Brown,
Tumon
Comments
You claim Muslim nations fear our weak and undecided POTUS ? wrong agina
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/09/27/the-u-s-in-the-obama-era-superpower-or-doormat/
O' bama is viewed as a doormat
Shark finn: You state China does not want a war ? Sorry you are wrong again..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2066380/Will-World-War-III-U-S-China.html
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http://www.pewglobal.org/2011/05/17/arab-spring-fails-to-improve-us-image/
http://www.examiner.com/geopolitics-in-national/al-qaeda-incorporated-terrorist-franchise-stronger-than-ever
The facts, still show, that Al-Qaida has withered under Obama's leadership and Muslim nations fear the U.S. more now than under W. or Clinton. Why else would P.R. Iran want to negotiate, a delay tactic that they have commonly used, according to those who follow events there? Why would the House of Saud, along with Gulf States, purchase U.S. military hardware? As for the Russian Federation, they cannot even handle Chechnya and their breakaway provinces in the Caucasus, militarily. P.R. China, too, does not want any direct confrontation with the U.S. as they are more interested in making money by trading unfairly and slapping 25% tariffs on U.S. imports to China.
I think the PM of Israel is right to shut his cabinet heads up and concentrate on the task at hand. If the Sec. Def. says that Israel will strike sometime this Spring, expect Israel to strike sooner rather than later. The people of Iran are not with the leadership just like in Syria.
John, did you clear this article with senator judy, the President of the Guam Military Group ? She writes letters to O'bama ( hand delivered as he was boarding Golf Cart One ) to Senators and Congressmen and Military folks. She is our front line in dealing with the buildup ? Hahaha....I often wonder why the media, in their quest for facts and opinion always go to elected officials who are usually clueless. Why don't the media folks go to leaders and successful men on the Chamber, Rotary, UOG Regents, Gulag Memorial Board, the Calvos, Moylans, Ysraels, the Presidents and CEO's of major companies like Air Mike, Triple J, DFS, GVB, Hotel and Restaurant Assn, Leading members of Guam Contractors Assn and etc and etc. Mope the media treaks down to Add - A - Loop and the House on Hessler, does a foto op and tell us dumb serfs and vassels !
Good Article John, you learned a lot from Ken and you were / are a smart guy anyway. I read an interesting article that stated that if Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Venezuela were to stop selling us oil, we would wither and die in a few days. We could not even launch planes or ships or tanks. Scary. Iran is not after Israel, they are after America. Israel is for show, America is for blow as in blowing up. With nukes Iran can threaten OPEC to stop selling America oil and we would die in a few days.
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