Political Quotes

“Yesterday on Guam, the first of some 2,500 Kurdish refugees arrived as part of Operation Pacific Haven. The movement of these Kurdish refugees who have been associated with United States Government activities is timely and necessary and makes good on an implicit American commitment to their safety. As was the case 2 weeks ago with the B-52 strikes on Iraq, the role of Guam in the events unfolding in the Middle East is of enormous importance and consequence to our country's actions. Although any map will clearly show that the utilization of Guam might not make geographic sense for Operation Pacific Haven, any understanding of today's world shows that Guam is one of the few reliable places which this country can use in a moment's notice. Without Guam, a reliable United States base, American military flexibility is reduced. For the military planners managing the Mideast crisis, Guam is between Iraq and a hard place. Given the cumbersome need for fly-over rights as well as the need to seek prior approval of allies, our Nation's mobility and capacity for independent action must increasingly rely on mobile forces, friendly faces, and dependable bases. Guam fits this bill and is proud to play a key role in both the strikes against Iraq and the on-going humanitarian mission for providing safe haven in the Pacific for the Kurdish refugees.”