We have seen a report of a confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, released by Wikileaks, which summarizes a meeting between U.S. and Japan officials, held in July 2009. One of those officials was Suzanne Basalla, the former director for Japan from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
“Basalla said that while the political value of the 2014 target completion date is clear, the United States has been very frank with Japan that the date is increasingly unrealistic,” the cable states. “The U.S. side looks forward to discussing with Japan ways in which to best manage ‘beyond 2014’ messaging.”
As was reported today, four months AFTER this was said privately to Japan officials, the military released the draft EIS based upon the 2014 completion date. This massive DEIS — costing the American taxpayer at least $100 million, according to former JGPO Director General David Bice — predicted 79,000 new residents coming to Guam by 2014.
The residents of Guam were alarmed by this and other numbers “revealed” in the DEIS and reacted negatively. Over 10,000 comments were submitted in the review and comment period. Particular opposition was driven by public perception that this schedule in particular made this an “unrealistic” plan. The negative reaction that resulted led to much community division. A very recently formed group claiming to be the “silent majority” has since complained that such “criticisms” are driving the military away from Guam.
Members of the Guam Legislature have also been criticized for voicing criticism of the unrealistic portions of the buildup plan. How sad that false and purposefully un-updated information has been allowed to leave our community confused and divided.
Obviously, many of us feel vindicated, but it is not a very satisfying emotion under the circumstances. The effect of this sorry excuse for a plan has been to divide our people and cause the buildup to become controversial. All this could have been avoided if the Pentagon had the institutional integrity to “call them as they see them,” or in other words, honestly reveal what it had in mind.
From the start, then-Governor Camacho called for transparency, as did I and other legislators. I personally perceived that the plan was unrealistic and shared that perception with General Bice back in 2008, prior to the release of the DEIS in November of 2009. In January 2010, I publicly proposed a “stretch out” of the buildup to permit Guam’s infrastructure to be developed so the civilian side of the equation would not collapse.
Now, we see that in July 2009 the Japanese were informed that the plan was unrealistic. However, the public citizens of the host community were not informed. The obvious question is: Why was it that the Japanese were told in July of 2009, but it was kept secret from the people of Guam — fellow American citizens — until the release of the Record of Decision in July of 2010? Why did the Pentagon sit back and watch significant opposition develop in Guam to the unrealistic timeframe? What motivated the Pentagon to do that?
I have taught “Ethics in Government” for many years at the University of Guam and have served as the chair of the Ethics and Standards Committee for the 30th Guam Legislature. If the Pentagon leadership of the Guam military buildup were to appear before our Ethics and Standards Committee, I sincerely believe that the body would be found guilty of gross ethical violations. This is not the way to treat American citizens. The Americans living on Guam deserve to know the truth about the military buildup plan at the same time, if not sooner, than a foreign government. Madam Secretary, please convey my feelings to those of your colleagues who are in a position to answer the questions being raised by the Guam military buildup and willing to change these failed policies.
Madam Secretary: There is still an opportunity to revise the DOD approach to the Guam military buildup used to date, to be more transparent and inclusive of the input of the people of Guam in the development of a revised EIS, and in the completion of the draft Master Plan for the buildup, as well as all the other related initiatives. I am hopeful you will use your leadership to make this new approach possible as we go forward.
SEN. JUDITH GUTHERTZ
Guam Legislature
