By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

VICE President Dick Cheney, in a brief stopover on Guam yesterday, defended anew the Bush administration’s “no retreat” policy in Iraq, saying the United States’ “determined enemy” remains active in committing “random acts of horrors” with the intention of establishing a totalitarian empire in various regions across the world.
“The war goes on. This war is not a matter of finding the opposing army and engaging them. The terrorist armies are hidden and fierce, and view the entire world as a battlefield,” Cheney said during a 15-minute speech at Andersen Air Force Base.
Cheney stopped over at Andersen on the first leg of a regional trip that will take him to Australia, Japan and other countries. During his one-hour stopover, Cheney briefly met with Gov. Felix P. Camacho and Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo at the base hangar.
Camacho presented Cheney with a book of pictures from the Council of the Arts and Humanities Agency in what looked like a duty-free bag.
Cheney keynoted his speech by citing Guam’s growing strategic importance in U.S. security plans.
“The island may be small but it has tremendous importance to the security of the world and our country appreciates the patriotic welcoming spirit from fellow Americans who live in Guam,” Cheney said during a 15-minute speech.
“By positioning on Guam, the U.S. can move quickly and effectively to defend our interests and bring relief in times of emergency,” he added.
About 8,000 Marines will be deployed to Guam from Okinawa, and the military expansion is predicted to turn the island into a launching pad for security missions in the region, which is dealing with threats from North Korea.
Meanwhile, members of the Nasion Chamoru held a peaceful demonstration outside the fence, holding placards opposing the militarization of the island.
But Cheney believes that having been liberated by U.S. forces from the Japanese during World War II, the people of Guam “understand the need to stand up for freedom, to stay strong, and to defend ourselves against the dangers in this world.”
The dangers, he added, are posed by threats from the same enemy “who appeared in 9/11.”
“The enemy has been wounded, is off-balance, and is on the run, but still very active, still seeking new recruits to try and kill Americans,” Cheney said.
“They are determined to commit indiscriminate murders against innocent men, women and children. They serve an extremely hateful ideology that rejects tolerance and demands total obedience,” he added.
The United States is the enemy’s prime target, Cheney said. “They hate us. They hate our country. They hate our liberty. They want to destroy our way of life, so that freedom is no longer in the home of the defenders of the world.”
But the U.S., he said, will not pull out of Iraq until the mission is completed because “we’re not dealing with an adversary that will surrender until they come to their senses.”
“This nation has learned the lessons of history. We know that the terrorist attacks are not a result of the use of strength; they are invited by the perception of weakness. We know that if we leave Iraq before the mission is completed, the enemy will continue to come after us,” Cheney said.
“The American people do not and will not uphold a policy of retreat. We want to complete the mission. We want to get it done right and then we want to return home,” Cheney said.
In a brief interview with reporters, the governor said he had “a good conversation” with Cheney, but nothing specific on the Marines’ relocation was said.
“He believes that we will be able to work things out. We gave him a Hafa Adai on behalf of the people of Guam and I mentioned to him that the people are supportive of the Marines’ relocation,” Camacho said.