U.S. territories persist as colonial relationships granting the military unmatched autonomy.

Evidence

These islands have neither full independence nor the full democratic rights that would come with incorporation into the United States. They highlight how, even in the twenty-first century, our base nation still relies on the perpetuation of colonial relationships, albeit under new guises and with new vocabulary. From the military’s perspective, Guam and the other territories offer unmatched autonomy. “This is not Okinawa,” Major General Dennis Larsen told a reporter at Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base. “This is American soil in the midst of the Pacific. Guam is a U.S. territory. We can do what we want here, and make huge investments without fear of being thrown out.” — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 231

Categorization

• QUESTION: What distinguishes ‘territory’ status from colonial possession, legally and practically? The military clearly sees it as the best of both worlds.
• SEED: An angle on how the military’s preference for territory status over formal incorporation perpetuates colonial structures while claiming ‘American soil.’