Monthly Archives: May 2012

Navy renames Hawaii Superferries “USNS Guam” and “USNS Puerto Rico”

Recently, we reported that the two repossessed Hawaii Superferry ships will be deployed to Okinawa as part of the Navy sea lift fleet.  But now it gets wierder.  The Navy just announced that the ships will be renamed the USNS Guam and USNS Puerto Rico!  So after two fast ferry naval ships are pushed out… Read more »

Struggle to Protect Jeju Island from Monstrous Naval Base Intensifies

There has been an intense amount of activity in the struggle to protect Jeju island from destruction due to the building of a naval base in Gangjeong.   The Save Jeju Facebook page is a great source of news with many photos and as-it-happens reports of protests at the site of the naval base. John Feffer… Read more »

U.S. military leaders tell troops to behave as Obama signs security pact with Karzai

U.S. military leaders are worried that recent outrageous conduct by U.S. troops in Afghanistan are stoking public anger against the foreign occupation, destabilizing the country and endangering U.S. and NATO troops there.   They responded by telling their troops to behave. The AP reported “Military commanders warned to get troops in line” (May 3, 2012): Military… Read more »

Military rethinking location of Guam Marine base

With the U.S. changing its distribution of troops moving from Okinawa, Hawai’i is expected to get up to 2700 Marines, while Guam will get less than originally projected.   USA Today Reported that “Military rethinking location of Guam Marine base” (May 2, 2012): The federal government is rethinking where to put a Marine base on Guam… Read more »

New Zealand / Aotearoa holds first military combat exercise with US first in 27 years

As part of its Pacific ‘pivot’, the U.S. has been increasing its military presence and activity around the region. The U.S. recently rekindled joint military training with New Zealand / Aotearoa after shunning New Zealand for the passage of anti-nuclear laws.   In April, the New Zealand Herald reported “Military combat exercise with US first for… Read more »

Hawaii Superferries moving to Okinawa

The Hawaii Free Press (a right wing blog that I generally detest) published a press release from Seaward Services “Hawaii Superferry Heading to Okinawa” (March 19, 2012): Seaward Services (SSI), a HMS Global Maritime (HMSGM) company based in New Albany, Indiana, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract through Military Sealift… Read more »

9000 Marines to move off Okinawa to Hawaiʻi, Guam, Australia, etc.

As reported in the Washington Post, the Obama administration announced that the U.S. will move 9000 Marines off Okinawa to other locations in the Pacific. While this may have sidestepped a politically volatile issue in its relations with Japan, the problem of the Futenma Base still remains, and the expansi0n of troops and bases in… Read more »