NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Daily Yomiuri Shimbun
Decision on Futenma Relocation Unlikely Until at Least 2011
Satoshi Ogawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
Aug. 22, 2010

WASHINGTON--It has become almost certain that essential details of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture will remain unresolved until at least 2011, as the Japanese and U.S. governments have basically agreed to abandon the Aug. 31 deadline they set earlier.

The two governments agreed Thursday on the outline of a report--to be released by working-level experts from both countries by the end of this month--regarding an exact location for the Futenma replacement facility and the design of its runway, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The outline calls for the forthcoming report to incorporate two plans as "feasible options" for the relocation facility: two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway, with the understanding that the facility will be located on the shore of the …

There were a number of things which overshadowed my trip to South Korea, and when I say overshadowed, I mean things which would constantly appear, be brought up or dictate the conversation regardless of where I went. For instance, the World Cup was huge while I was in South Korea and so everywhere I went, people were talking about it or sporting their pride in their national sport's team. Another issue was reunification and how recent elections this month have helped diminish so many hopes for progress on the re-uniting of the two Koreas.

One issue however, especially in conversations with South Korea activists, whether in Seoul, Paju, Pyeongtaek or Jeju, which was always very prominent and had so many people angry, frustrated or on edge was the sinking of the South Korean military ship, the Cheonan in March. The ship was participating in joint training exercises with US military forces, when it ran aground and split in two 58 of those aboard survived while 46 died. The South Korea…

My posting might become either very irregular or overly regular in the next few days, depending on how my access to internet and level of energy goes.

I'm on a solidarity trip to South Korea right now. As the delegate from Guam I'm joining delegates from Okinawa, the United States and the Philippines in meeting with local peace, antiwar, demilitarization and reunification organizations. I have a crazy schedule of non-stop protests, workshops, tours and meetings for the next week, which includes a two-day visit to Jeju Island off the southern coast of South Korea.

After spending one day here, para bai hu sangani hamyo, there is plenty to write and blog about. But the question remains, as to whether or not I'll have the time, energy or decent enough connection to keep posting.

In the meantime I just wanted to share a short report that I just typed up, at the very last minute to be translated into Korean and be distributed at the different meetings I'm going to. Each of the…

President Barack Obama is not a liar, and when he isn't as progressive or radical as people would like him to be, its not because he is not living up to his rhetoric, one thing that has always been comforting about Obama and his rhetoric is that he has, since starting to run for office in 2007, always said exactly what he intends to do.

Thinking that because Obama's skin color is a certain way, he would therefore be interested in keeping the war machines of the first world from waging war against any more black and brown peoples, is ridiculous. What Obama represents to you or to me, has very little to do with what consciousness he carries and uses to think about the world. Obama was against the Iraq War not on principle, but because it was a stupid war, a tactical/strategic mistake, that distracted the United States and its military from the real threats in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And although Obama was very generous and vague in his rhetoric on ending the war in Iraq, he was…