Okinawa strength could be greatly reduced

[thedrifter]

May 29, 2003

Report: Okinawa strength could be greatly reduced

Associated Press


LOS ANGELES (Kyodo) ? The Defense Department may withdraw roughly 15,000 of the approximately 20,000 Marines stationed in Okinawa as part of a plan to realign its troops in Asia, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
?The Pentagon is planning a broad realignment of troops in Asia that may include moving Marines out of Japan and establishing a network of small bases in countries such as Australia, Singapore and Malaysia where the U.S. has never had a permanent military presence,? the paper said.

It said a plan being considered is to move all but about 5,000 of the Marines in Okinawa, possibly to new bases that will be set up in Australia.

The paper quoted Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, as saying, ?There is not going to be a place in the world where it?s going to be the same as it used to be...We?re going to rationalize our posture everywhere -- in Korea, in Japan, everywhere.?

While Feith declined to divulge details, other defense officials have described the moves being considered, the paper said.

According to the paper, the roughly 24,000 U.S. troops based elsewhere in Japan will remain.

?But the Pentagon would increase the military equipment and weaponry stored and maintained at ports in Japan and elsewhere, allowing it to cut back the number of troops based in the region but leaving it able to deploy them rapidly to conflicts in the area,? the paper said.

The daily said the U.S. is eyeing boosting the presence of U.S. troops in Singapore and Malaysia, and seeking to base Navy ships in Vietnam and ground troops in the Philippines.

In February, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the 37,000 troops stationed in South Korea may be reduced as part of a drastic realignment of the U.S. military.

Australian newspapers reported May 22 that working-level negotiations are continuing between the United States and Australia for setting up a base in Australia for 5,000 Marines.






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Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.


Sempers,

Roger