The Booty Report

Arrr! GOP landlubber be warnin'! Movin' fuel from Hawaii may scupper our Indo-Pacific escapades, says he!

2024-01-18

Arr, this Gallagher fella be warnin' that if we be movin' that oil from Hawaii, our mighty U.S. military and all its powers might just come to a screechin' halt in the vast Indo-Pacific waters! Shiver me timbers!

U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern about the U.S. Navy's plan to move fuel from Hawaii to storage facilities across the Indo-Pacific. In a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, Rep. Mike Gallagher warned that the country could be unprepared for a possible conflict if the military goes ahead with this plan. Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on China, emphasized the need for a long-term solution and questioned how the Navy would replace and distribute the bulk fuel capacity of Hawaii's Red Hill facility. He also highlighted the shortage of ships needed to transport and deliver fuel in the Indo-Pacific. Gallagher urged the defense department to address potential weaknesses in the logistical supply lines as soon as possible.

The Red Hill storage facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam suffered a leak in 2023, leading to the contamination of the water systems. The Pentagon decided to drain the facility and transport the fuel by ship to existing support sites, a process that is expected to take several years. In his letter, Gallagher referenced a 2016 Defense Department determination that 86 tankers would be needed for moving such equipment. He also asked whether the department had enough forward fuel storage facilities and access to refinery capacity in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, Gallagher inquired about secure locations for building replacement facilities for Red Hill and the integration of facilities of allies and partners in fuel redistribution.

A Navy spokesperson stated that the secretary would respond to the letter accordingly. Meanwhile, U.S. military experts continue to warn about the country's unpreparedness in countering China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. China's military expansion and its growing naval fleet pose significant challenges to U.S. defenses. The concerns raised by lawmakers highlight the need for comprehensive planning and action to address potential vulnerabilities in the U.S. military's fuel distribution network and to strengthen its position in the Indo-Pacific region.

Read the Original Article