Rethinking RIMPAC in Hawaii

Rim of the Pacific 2014 is underway. Military and corporate representatives from around the world will be renewing old friendships and striking up new contacts in the tropical splendor of Hawaii. However, some of the superlatives issued by the Navy extolling RIMPAC 2014 deserve scrutiny.

» "RIMPAC brings international participants together to foster and sustain cooperative relationships. Training during RIMPAC builds credible, ready maritime forces that help to preserve peace and prevent conflict."

Other places they meet up are venues like the World Economic Forum that meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. There, admirals and generals are increasingly getting a seat at the table alongside representatives from powerful transnational corporations. No longer in service to their respective nations, they represent an emerging global corporate governance that is charting its own global economic rulemaking.

Corporations need the security and protection that military leaders can provide as they and their servile governments impose "free" market austerity measures for their own profit. Building their system requires suppressing local economies and local democracy. In turn that requires the force projection, disguised as "preventing conflict" and "preserving peace" that a globally aligned military can provide.

» "Environmental stewardship and protection of marine mammals are top priorities at all times during the RIMPAC exercise."

The Navy asked for and received permission from the National Marine Fisheries Service to take (kill) whales and dolphins as long as they have a negligible impact on the population. These cetaceans and unknown numbers of other species will die or be made deaf (the same as dying) from high-decibel sonar blasts and underwater explosions. Detection capabilities of sonar could be judged as effectively using computer simulation. The fact that impacts on marine life further down the food chain, or consequences of toxins from sunken ships and expended ammunition, have not been studied suggests that for the Navy, it’s just better to not know.

» "According to the State of Hawaii Department of Business and Economic Development and Tourism Research and Analysis division, the initial economic benefit for RIMPAC 2014 is projected to be $52.5 million."

Gallup International and the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research conducted a poll of more than 66,000 people in 65 countries that shows America is regarded as the greatest threat to world peace by a margin of 3 to 1 over any other country. Some will take assurance in a belief that fear and intimidation abroad is keeping us safe at least in the short term, or that our Pentagon-fueled local economy comes without larger consequences.

Historically though, it has always been the world’s leading creditor country that has been the political and economic leader. Now the U.S. is the biggest debtor country, and is continuing to wield influence on the basis of military power alone.

Usually RIMPAC concludes with a photo on the front page of newspapers across the state showing a U.S. aircraft carrier at the lead of a flotilla of warships. We should be reminded that the cost of building an aircraft carrier is equal to the cost of building clean water systems that could save the lives of 3,000 children every day. Of the two, which provides immediate and lasting security?

Why isn’t there a concurring international conflict-resolution forum with all the promotion RIMPAC is receiving? The more that nations prepare for war, the more likely it is they will go to war. The U.S. spends by its own account 30 percent, by a more accurate account 50 percent, of tax revenues preparing for and prosecuting wars, and as a result is in the longest protracted war in its history, with no end in sight.

Our government representatives need to know large-scale naval exercises are unaffordable, obsolete and dangerous. It’s time to chart a new course for peace.