EFL
The United States will close its Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in eastern Puerto Rico within the next six months. Congress and President Bush are expected to sign off on the closure by the end of next week, said Anibal Acevado Vila, the U.S. territory’s nonvoting congressional delegate. The Pentagon did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
"We don’t need to comment, we’ve said it already."
The base’s closure comes after several years of protests against U.S. military exercises in Vieques, which ended with the Navy’s May 1 withdrawal from its bombing range on that tiny outlying island. Opponents said the bombing harmed the environment, the health of the island’s 9,100 residents and its sole industries of fishing and tourism. The Navy maintains the exercises never posed a health threat. Since 1999, more than 1,000 dupes rubes rustics Marxists rank opportunists people — including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Rev. Al Sharpton and actor Edward James Olmos — have been arrested for breaking onto Navy lands to thwart the exercises. Gov. Sila Calderon wanted Roosevelt Roads to remain open even after the end to Vieques military exercises.
"We want defense spending slashed! We want military bases closed! except the one in my district; can you please leave that one alone? Ple-e-e-a-s-e>
Roosevelt Roads, which began laying off some of its 6,300 employees in April, injects an estimated $300 million a year into the U.S. Caribbean territory’s economy. Acevado Vila, who is running for governor in 2004 from Calderon’s People’s Democratic Party, said the base’s closure would open opportunities for tourism and other investment.
Turn it into a moment for left-liberal foot shooting and it’ll be an instant success! |