A huge American missile system could be bad news for islanders

The $1.7 billion missile defense program is expected to be built in 2019 Guam A new report shows this could have a serious impact on the island’s infrastructure and environment.

In a report, the Missile Defense Agency indicated that if the Defense Department continues construction, there would be “long-term and significant impacts” on the island territory, located in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippine Sea.

Building the defense system would require Guam, which has a population of 170,000, to support more than 2,000 new people over 10 years of construction, with contractors, Department of Defense employees and their family members needing permanent housing.

The agency plans to build 16 locations across the island within ten years as tensions continue to escalate in Southeast Asia.

Due to its location near the Philippines, Japan, China and the Korean Peninsula, Guam is a significant strategic base for the US, especially in the face of the growing conflict disputed waters of the South China Sea.

In a statement outlining the rationale for the missile program, the Department of Defense said: “Guam is a critical strategic location for maintaining and sustaining U.S. influence, deterring adversaries, responding to crises, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“An attack on Guam would be considered a direct attack on the United States and would be met with an appropriate response.”

Despite Guam’s strategic importance, its economy and infrastructure remain unstable.

In the report, the agency called the island’s medical assistance “already stretched” and warned that “because Guam is considered a minority and low-income population, significant impacts on housing and health services will result in cumulative impacts on minority and low-income populations.” .

Newsweek contacted the Missile Defense Agency via email for comment on the report’s findings.

The Missile Defense Agency said the Department of Defense is taking steps to avoid significant impacts to Guam’s infrastructure.

“While significant impacts to housing and medical services have been identified, the Department of Defense is addressing the military demand for housing and medical services on Guam through a holistic approach to address potential cumulative impacts,” the report said.

The latest photos from the territory showed that US military takes further steps to prepare Guam for conflict in the region.

In the photo posted by US Navy On October 18, Tom Mancinelli, acting under secretary of the Navy, was seen the day before during a briefing of the MK-41 Vertical Launch System facility on Guam.

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