RIMPAC coverage was ‘dismaying’ to this reader

To the Forum:

Thanks to

The Garden Island for informing the public, yet it is dismaying to find the

Wednesday, May 31, paper’s full-color splash covering upcoming RIMPAC

activities.

Then, way back on Page 6A under WORLD, is an AP news release

out of Brussels, Belgium addressing the rest of the world’s concern that IF the

USA’s proposed new national missile defense system truly is “wise or

necessary.”

What are our priorities on this Island anyway?? Is full-scale

tourist promotion really compatible with well-funded “War Games” scheduled on

West Kaua’i? Hosting such activities as RIMPAC on a small Island seems very

risky business. The sinking of four “mothballed” naval ships sounds more like

pollution on a grand scale to me. PMRF’s assurances that RIMPAC activities will

be halted if any whales come into the range of activities is about as

believable as the Navy’s well-publicized previous position about the effects of

their “boombox” project on marine mammals. After all, there are a multitude of

life forms in the ocean, not just whales.

On the other hand, whether

missiles are successfully intercepted or not, where do they end up? Until

otherwise notified, I will presume they will go down … into the ocean as

well.

Let’s all pay a little more attention to what is going on over on

Westside Kaua’i. Each person that cares about Kaua’i, for whatever reason, may

think about if this scope of military activity is compatible with the Island’s

future as relatively unspoiled visitor destination and/or place of

residence.

It is always amusing to read about the justification of

activities such as RIMPAC by claiming economic benefits of “over 20 million”

dollars boost to Hawai’i’s economy. Can we get a breakdown on that? Personally,

I’d rather see all the expenses for RIMPAC be budgeted for improvement in

healthcare for our Nation’s citizens than outright funding for getting ready

“in case the real thing ever happens.” This kind of preparation called RIMPAC

actually poses a threat, rather than reducing world tensions. It’s the same as

if you notice your neighbor sticking a weapons arsenal in their garage, putting

up barb-wire around their house and asking you to look the other way while they

target practice over your swimming pool!

P. Louse Bennet,

resident of

Kaua’i