GUAM’s military expansion has been stuck due to the delays in the development and submission of a master plan for the military buildup on Guam, according to Sen. Judith P. Guthertz, one of the sponsors of Resolution 458-31.
Co-sponsored by Sens. Rory J. Respicio and Tom C. Ada, Resolution 458-31 “respectfully urges Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta to respond promptly to requests from the Congress of the United States to provide a master plan for the military buildup in Guam, and to satisfy a United States Senate mandate to include master planning efforts on Guam’s buildup with all Department of Defense overseas master plans.”
Guthertz stated: “The U.S. Department of Defense has been rather slow in getting these requirements met but maybe they have their own bureaucracy, their own procedures. The big missing link has always been the Guam master plan. Unless that master plan has been completed, the buildup cannot move forward.
According to Guthertz, “With the U.S. government under great pressure to provide relief to many of the 50 states because of economic issues, no member of Congress will support any expansion of the federal budget, whether it is for the Department of Defense or anywhere else, without very careful scrutiny and justification.”
Therefore, she said, the master plan is necessary to provide justification to the realignment plans and any plans of expansion within the region. She added the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires DOD to complete at least three reports before any further action will be taken.
“First report is the Guam master plan for the buildup, which the U.S. Senate has been asking for the last four years,” Guthertz stated.
Study
“The second report is the independent study on Pacific Asian Security needs. Fortunately the report has been completed by an independent contractor. It was submitted to the Department of Defense. They have the data and are currently reviewing it under the NDAA,” she added.
The independent report requires an accompanying response from Panetta before it could be submitted to Congress. According to Guthertz, DOD is currently drafting the response based on information gathered from Delegate Madeleine Bordallo’s office.
A laydown plan indicating the blueprint for the Marine expansion in the Western Pacific region is the third report required by the NDAA.
In the sponsor’s statement for the resolution, it was also noted that the completion of the master plan “has not been possible over the past six years because the governments of the United States and its allies, primarily Japan, had neither reached a final agreement of U.S. forces on Okinawa, nor decided upon the ideal laydown for these troops in the Pacific region.”
“That master plan is supposed to be the final determined plan of where additional military facilities on Guam will be placed, how much these facilities will cost, what the facilities are, how many uniformed civilians, federal contract personnel will be involved, and the overall cost,” according to Guthertz.
Comments
My point being these two can't run a grocery store, let alone act as city council members (pretty much what they are) of a city with 200,000 citizens. Very few on Guam care what these two and the remaining members of the fab 5 have to say, why would we believe those in Washington care either? They've proven their worth time and time again.
Hast[censored]
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Guam USA - well said young man, well said. If only America had a saying that could be used to cover your statement ?
Let me think
I like this..
So we have the hammer and we will hit the screw / bolt on the top ?
No..no that will never do, Americans used to use hammers to build stuff, like houses....for houses we need nales !
How about " The Nail Suffers Racial Bias From The Hammer "
Yes , that may work, No wait to political !
" The Hammer Uses Force Against The Nail ? "
Yes that will do it Guam USA, There I just created an iconic American saying to cover your post !
Hasta
Yes that will do it...WOW, I just made up an American Saying !
Hast[censored]
I'm certain Secretary Panetta is well aware of what's been asked of his department and will comply when his department sees fit.
He certainly doesn't need to be urged/reminded/scolded, etc., by two loud mouth wannabe's on Guam of what has been required of him. You two are simply looking for $$ as has always been your agenda and the security of the United States isn't in your playing cards. I'm also sure he doesn't need to be reminded that the security of the Territory of Guam is a priority and obviously he doesn't see the need to rush things.
Had you two and the remaining members of the fab 5 not ran off the last buildup, we'd likely be ahead of where we are now.
I hope both Alligator Judy and Rory the cowardly lion get the boot come November.
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