The "Baker" underwater nuclear weapons test at Bikini Atoll in 1946. Dozens of World War II vessels were used as targets for this weapons test, and now lie on the atoll's lagoon floor. Photo: US Navy. Photo:
The Governor of Guam has defended the use of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles on the territory and says it's needed in order to promote peace in the Pacific region.
It's an interesting position considering Pacific leaders are creating a Pacific zone of peace and have treaties which forbid the use of nuclear weapons and warfare.
Guam's Governor Lou Leon Gurrero is gunning for associate membership and hopes the other two U.S. territories Northern Marianas and American Samoa follow suit in joining PIF as associate members.
She says their aim is for full membership for all three territories.
It comes at a time where the United States territory is preparing to build a 360-degree defence system on the island which will act as a shield - similar to Israel's dome.
At the same time, they're also training military for combat to respond to world events for what the Govenor's Chief of Staff says is the biggest military buildup in peacetime history.
RNZ Pacific's Eleisha Foon is in Guam and spoke with Lou Leon Gurrero about the territory's plans to join the Pacific Islands Forum as a full member and asked her to explain the reason behind the military buildup and missile testing could mean for the pacific region.
