While the U.S.-Japan bilateral agreement to relocate the U. S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Base Station in Okinawa, Japan within the Okinawa Prefecture remains unsettled with Japan’s new leadership, I could not help but wonder whether the island of Tinian in the Northern Marianas has ever been taken into a more thorough and fullest consideration to move the base here by the military planners. It seems logical and a sensible decision to establish a solid U. S. military base on U. S. soil rather than using the 2/3 of the military leased land for practice firing range and urban warfare training grounds. The investments made for the base build-up, both from the U. S. and Japan, are monies well spent and will further lessen the burdens imposed on the Japanese people in the Okinawa Prefecture.
The Northern Marianas is still substantially vital for defense purposes. It is strategically located and within about three hours of flight time to arrive at any hotspots to the west and northwest of this Asia-Pacific region. It makes sense to station most of the pre-positioning ships off the coast of Okinawa thereby allowing less time to deploy military equipment and less interference with the islands’ residents.
I could still recall the late Sen. Joe R. Cruz, who was actively pushing for a military base build-up on Tinian. Why the senator had even relocated to the island thinking that sooner a military base could become a thing of reality, but Joe had passed away and never saw his dream materialized.
The residents of Tinian would probably still welcome and look forward to Joe’s plan for the base build-up, and I suggest that it should be examined further.
ENRIQUE DELA CRUZ
Capital Hill, Saipan
