By Adam Leon Guerrero for Just Thinking Aloud, Kandit News & Views
As global conflicts intensify—from airstrikes in Iran to the war in Ukraine—Guam stands once again at the center of U.S. military strategy. Our runways launch bombers. Our harbors receive warships. Our people, land, and resources are integral to America’s plans. The world may be in chaos, but Guam is in the spotlight. And at the heart of it all is a simple truth: Guam is indispensable.
That spotlight should make us pause and think. If Guam is so important to the U.S. in moments like this, why do we continue to live in political limbo? Why are we still an unincorporated territory—a place without full voting rights, without a real voice in the decisions that affect us most?
Some might say, “Now isn’t the time to talk about self-determination. The world is on edge.” But honestly—when has it ever been the right time? For over 75 years, we’ve been told to wait. After World War II, we got citizenship—but not equality. We were called part of America, but only on America’s terms. We were asked to serve, to give, to sacrifice—and we did.
Yes, the U.S. helped liberate us in 1944. Yes, we have received federal funding. Yes, the U.S. military presence has arguably provided us a measure of protection. But these benefits come with strings attached—restrictions on our land use, limits on our voice in military activity, dependency on federal rules and priorities that may not align with our needs. These are not gifts. These are transactions.
The truth is, we’ve paid back our liberation many times over—with our land, with our loyalty, with our lives. We’ve given. We’ve waited. We’ve played by the rules. So the question now is: when do we get to decide our future?
And let’s not pretend it’s all Washington’s fault. We have to look inward too. Our leaders have struggled to build the political will to move us forward. Some are afraid of losing federal money. Others worry about dividing the community. But in the end, fear has kept us stuck. And we, the people, have allowed that fear to grow.
This moment—right now—is a wake-up call. The U.S. is moving troops from Japan and perhaps even Korea. Guam’s role is growing. That means we have power. And if we have power, we should be using it—not just to protect others, but to shape our own destiny.
Let us use this moment not to simply feel grateful for protection, but to feel empowered by our significance. If we matter to the U.S. military, if we matter to Indo-Pacific strategy, if we matter to the stability of the region—then we should matter politically too.
The world is watching. But more importantly, we should be watching ourselves. Because if we don’t recognize our own worth in moments like this, no one else will.
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Adam Leon Guerrero is a resident of Barrigada
