The Guam headlines from the recent visit of the U.S. secretary of defense are only part of Secretary Hegseth’s maiden visit to the Pacific. It is Guam’s place in the larger picture - where the island fits into U.S. strategy - that helps us understand how the “tip of the spear” is being positioned. Perhaps overlooked, the arrangement of the “Guam piece” gives us a better sense not only of Guam’s importance to the United States, but also of how the U.S. sees the larger geopolitical competition taking shape.

Before he landed on Guam, the secretary of defense circulated a secret memo that prioritized U.S. readiness for a potential conflict with China over Taiwan. At the same time, it was reported that U.S. intelligence assessed that Guam would be “a major target of Chinese missile strikes” if China launched an invasion of Taiwan.

To put the U.S. secretary of defense’s recent regional visit in context, we need to look at the big picture, and then refocus on Guam and the region. We must not only consider what was said and done during his trip, but also what was not said, to help us understand (1) the signaling on Guam that informs the unfolding U.S. strategy in the region and (2) the increasing risk to Guam’s security.

Poster Comment:

INSANITY. THE US COULD NOT INVADE YEMEN AND WIN.