Giha Mo'na External Affairs and Defense
Defense includes all the components that either strengthen or weaken the safety of the island of Guam from any system of external violence.
The 1950 Organic Act gave absolute authority to “the President to designate parts of Guam as naval or military reservations.” As a result, the U.S. military footprint continues to grow in Guam because the island is the first line of defense against all threats from Asia.
About Defense in Guam
Since the United States acquired Guam in 1898, the island has been used first as a military outpost and later as a forward base to fight WWII. The United States military in Guam continues to serve as the defense mechanism for the United States because of its strategic location of the island near Asia. As a result of treaties with countries in the region and growing threats from Asia, Guam is an ideal location for military posturing in the Western Pacific. Consequently, the presence of the U.S. military in Guam has also provoked threats to the island from both North Korea and China in addition to internal conflicts, negative social impacts and significant environmental degradation.
Did You Know
FURTHER READINGS ON DEFENSE IN GUAM
