The Problem with Early Compact Termination

Today, The Diplomat magazine published an article entitled, “America’s Micronesia Problem: The end of the Compact of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia would have serious repercussions.” Authored by Lieutenant Colonel Tom Matelski, the article sets out the problem facing the United States as well as the FSM if the FSM Congress proceeds with their resolution seeking an early termination of the Compact by 2018.

In the article, Matelski who is a U.S. Army War College Fellow at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, concludes that the FSM will be more negatively impacted than the US.

“Ending the Compact in 2018 impacts F.S.M. more than it does the U.S. For one thing, Micronesians currently living abroad will lose their immigration status and face a potential loss of federal benefits already being provided. In F.S.M.s view, the ending of the Compact provides an opportunity to redefine the relationship with the U.S. and set things on a more equal footing, replacing the existing junior-senior partner relationship with one between two independent sovereign nations. The most serious impact from the U.S. standpoint is in the provision of security and defense for F.S.M. If that is not provided by the United States, who then would be the guarantor of Micronesian security? This is where the People’s Republic of China enters the picture.”

Read full article now: http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/americas-micronesia-problem/