US To Spend £8Billion on New Military Base in effort to contain China's military build-up

The base will be built in Guam.

The expansion will include a dock for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a missile defence system, live-fire training sites and the expansion of the island's airbase. It will be the largest investment in a military base in the western Pacific since the Second World War, and the biggest spend on naval infrastructure in decades.

Estimates suggest that the island's population will rise by almost 50 per cent from its current 173,000 at the peak of construction. It will eventually house 19,000 Marines who will be relocated from the Japanese island of Okinawa, where the US force has become unpopular. The US's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said that this could trigger serious water shortages. The EPA said that dredging the harbour to allow an aircraft carrier to berth would damage 71 acres of pristine coral reefs. The EPA's report said the build-up would "exacerbate existing substandard environmental conditions on Guam". Local residents' concerns, however, have been sidelined by the US-China strategic competition. China has significantly expanded its fleet during the past decade, seeking to deter the US from intervening militarily in any future conflict over Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, and to project power across disputed territories in the gas and oil-rich South China Sea. Beijing's naval build-up is also intended secure the sea lanes from the Middle East, from where China will import an estimated 70-80 per cent of its oil needs by 2035 supplies it fears US could choke in the event of a conflict. China has therefore invested in what are called its "string of pearls" a network of bases strung along the Indian Ocean rim, like Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Gwadar in Pakistan and in developing a navy which can operate far from home. Experts agree China does not currently have the capability to challenge US supremacy in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. "China has a large appetite", says Carl Ungerer, an analyst at Australian Strategic Policy Institute, "but it hasn't got enough teeth". But China clearly intends to add bite to its naval arsenal. The country has acquired several modern Russian-made submarines and destroyers. Its shipyards are building new nuclear-powered submarines, as well as an aircraft carrier. There have also been reports that China is planning to test a new type of ballistic missile, the Dong Feng 21D, which would effectively render US carriers defenceless. "China's charm offensive is over", says Ian Storey, an expert at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, "and its given way to what you might call an adolescent foreign policy. The country's flexing its muscles, letting us know it won't be pushed around". The US is also investing another £126 million on upgrading infrastructure at the British-owned Indian Ocean atoll of Diego Garcia, 700 miles south of Sri Lanka. Key among the upgrades at Diego Garcia, which are due for completion in 2013, will be the capability to repair a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine which can carry up to 154 cruise missiles striking power equivalent to that of an entire US aircraft carrier battle group. Diego Garcia, which has served as a launch-pad for air strikes on Iraq and Afghanistan, is already home to one third of what the US navy calls its Afloat Prepositioned Force equipment kept on standby to support military deployment anywhere in the world.

US to build £8bn super base on Pacific island of Guam

I don't really have much to substantiate my claims but I smell world war 3 downwind...

What does the building of this base entail for the relationship (If you can call it that) between China and USA? Especially with the recent economic problems. Any ideas on what this might spark? Do you think China will be happy?... How will they react?..

Also, seems like a lot of money to be spending considering the situation USA and a lot of the world is in financially... Do you think this base is something to do with spying on China?

So many things are racing through my mind right now.

I wonder if the Chinese will be lending the USA the money to build the base? Gee...let's hope so.

Originally posted by bowlbyville
I wonder if the Chinese will be lending the USA the money to build the base? Gee...let's hope so.

For your sake as an American I hope so

Doesn't seem like the most appropriate time to be spending this amount of money. I guess if its under the pretence of national security ... but how many times have you heard that?

reply to post by TechUnique


war is coming between the us and china someday but right now no.

as the fight for natural resources continue and china drains what reserves it has it will eventually lead to armed conflict.

world war III no limited conflict as the name of the game all out war would destroy the very resources they seek.

the us seeks to maintain what little we have.

dark days are coming but i guarantee you this nothing will happen for at least 2 years and maybe the next decade it will take time for china to build up its fleet thats a critical factor another critical factor is the size and scale of the chinese military the logistics needed to keep it a viable force.

we dont have the money to be spending but if we do nothing we still screwed.

reply to post by neo96


I believe war is more imminent. Especially in the middle east. Which in itself could cause WW3. I think that the candle is too close to the box of fireworks for comfort =/

Edit just to reiterate that I mean a war in the middle east could cause WW3, Not the middle east itself

reply to post by TechUnique


i can see why you think that.

but im considering whose in that oval office which is obama and the left are in power.

something to look for tho will be:

2010 november if congress stays the same or shifts power to the right
2012 november if congress and the white house shifts in power to the right

if the balance of power still leans left nothing will happen for at least 6 years.

not while there are troops still in iraq and afghanistan obama wouldnt even dare of thinking opening a third front nor engage in any form of warfare.

politics plays a critical role in national defense these days

reply to post by neo96


Thank you for shedding some light on the situation for me, I do not know a great deal about American politics. How do you believe the war will most like start?

reply to post by TechUnique


well considering this website and the majority of people believe in the "false flag" events.

from my understanding a false flag event will be the nature of government manipulation they the small group of people who really control this country and this world.

personally i dont beleive in the false flag mythos but feel free to believe what you will.

look for any event that can be "considered" an act of war think along the lines of the japanese attack on pearl harbor, or 9-11, recent events was the was an act of war was the norths sinking of a south korean naval vessel.

could be anything really i myself lean towards a nuke going off in a major city in the west or america could even be a series of smaller events with the last event that leads to it.

im not good with predictions but all i can say is keep your eyes open no matter how small the news story will be how does that action effect persons or nations a,b,c and d. could even be financial or the death of a person.

man i dont know for sure about anything

reply to post by neo96


Yeah, that is one of the problems... So many possible war fuses its hard to tell which once will be lit. But one thing is for certain in my eyes... A fuse will be lit. And probably soon.