What does altering the 2006 Futenma agreement mean for ArmedServices jobs?
Leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee called on the Pentagon to re-examine US Military basing plans in East Asia. The three senators Carl Levin, John McCain, and Jim Webb, feel the United States can save billions in South Korea, Japan, and Guam. The three senators called for:
1) Examining the feasibility of moving Marine Corps Air Station Fetenma on Okinawa to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, instead of building a new expensive replacement facility at Camp Schwab.
2) Reducing Marine Corps presence in Guam by rotating in combat units that are based elsewhere
3) Putting on hold realignment of US Forces in South Korea, pending further review
The US and Japan signed realignment plans in 2006. Under the 2006 agreement, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, located in a heavily populated southern part of Okinawa, would be closed and its air operations relocated to a less crowded northern area at Camp Schwab, where a new airfield would be built. Some 8,000 Marines would also be shifted to the U.S. territory of Guam by 2014. Japan would foot much of the multibillion-dollar relocation bill. Senator Levin states, “The projected times are totally unrealistic. The significant estimated cost growth associated with some projects is simply unaffordable in today’s increasingly constrained fiscal environment. Political realities in Okinawa and Guam, as well as the enormous financial burden imposed on Japan by the devastation resulting from the disastrous March 2011 earthquake and tsunami also must be considered.” However officials at Japan’s Foreign Ministry said that they were aware of the US senators’ statement, but stressed that Tokyo has no plans to alter its position regarding the relocation plan.
Some Japanese media reports that officials in Tokyo are working to scrap the 2014 timeframe for moving 8,000 troops from Okinawa to Guam. Community leaders on Guam are also concerned of the environmental and social impact of a large increase in US military presence.
It seems to me the greatest risk is South Korea. With their not-so-friendly neighbors to the North, the US should keep the 28,000 troops it already has there. However, Webb said some missions could perhaps be performed by South Korea’s military instead of America’s. I guess only time will tell.
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