'Global instability is not abstract for us:' How the Gulf crisis becomes a personal matter for Guam and CNMI
- Admin
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Jayvee Vallejera
For U.S. territories in the Pacific, the ongoing war in the Middle East may be geographically distant but the experience is close to home.
CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds said "global instability is not abstract for us. It is personal."
“When tensions rise involving Iran, communities like ours immediately think about the safety of our servicemembers and their families," she said. "Many of them come from small island communities like ours. We know their names. We know their parents."
Amid the raging conflict in the Gulf region, the Office of the Governor of Guam said soldiers from the region may be expected to be deployed to the battle zones.
The joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, which have killed its supreme leader,
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top Iranian officials, have prompted the Islamic nation to launch retaliatory strikes in other parts of the Middle East.
Officials noted that Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, famed for their patriotism, don't hang back when called to join the nation's mission.
“Anytime U.S. military personnel are directly or potentially in harm's way, we join the rest of the nation in praying for their safety,” reads a statement from the governor's office.
“There are many brave men and women from Guam, the Northern Marianas and throughout Micronesia serving in the US military. We keep them and their families in our thoughts and prayers,” it added.
Guam’s enlistment rate is three times higher than the national average. According to the U.S. census, one of 20 Guam residents is a military veteran.
The high enlistment rate also has a sobering side: Of the 2,354 U.S. service members who died in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, 11 are from Guam.
Besides the 11 fatalities in Afghanistan, six other Guamanians died in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In the latest conflict, there is no word yet as to the status of servicemembers from Guam and the CNMI.
During these moments, the CNMI delegate said, everyone stands united behind the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.
As to the question of whether President Trump’s unilateral action to allow the attack on Iran is authorized, the Office of the Governor of Guam believes this is a matter for Congress and the Trump administration to settle.
“Clearly there is disagreement in Washington and elsewhere over the president's decision to strike Iraq. Like the rest of the nation, we anticipate that Congress and the Executive Branch will work out their differences,” said the Adelup statement.
The Office of the Governor of Guam assures that no specific threat to Guam or the region has been identified.
In Washington, the U.S. government condemned Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Middle East countries, saying it violated these countries’ sovereignty and endanger civilians.
In a joint statement by the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, they said the “unjustified strikes” targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilian populations, and damaged civilian infrastructure.
The statement said that Iran’s “indiscriminate and reckless” missile and drone attacks have hit Bahrain, Iraq—including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region—Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
“The Islamic Republic’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior.
“We stand united in defense of our citizens, sovereignty, and territory, and reaffirm our right to self-defense in the face of these attacks. We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defense cooperation that has prevented far greater loss of life and destruction,” the joint statement said.
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