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In choosing a topic for this discussion, I wanted to choose something that I truly felt a passion for. Although, some of the subjected topics seemed interesting, I decided to write my argument against the Unites States usage of the small island of Vieques, Puerto Rico for military practices over the last sixty years. This is some what of a difficult argument due to the fact that the United States has indeed already vacated the island. What I intend to do is to show you that there was no reason to ruin the island over military practices. My argument will focus more on how the United States flexed their muscle through the years and decided not to vacate the island and ruin a small poor village and its habitants . In 1938 the US Navy began using the island-municipality of Vieques, located 11 kilometers of the main island of Puerto Rico, for military practices. In 1941, during the height of WW II, the Navy initiated a campaign of forced expropriation of territory, which ultimately ended in their possession of over two thirds of the island’s land. In doing this they displaced thousands of families and seriously jeopardizing their basic means of living. The Navy set the price for the land giving the island residents very little say, if any, in the matter. Resistance became an exercise in failure, as the Navy issued the following ultimatum: Either you accept the price set by the Navy or prepare to be evicted, by force, if necessary. The net effect of these policies was the clustering of the entire civilian population of Vieques into a small strip of land right in the middle of the island. The Pentagon has used Vieques for numerous military exercises and war preparation. The United States colonized Puerto Rico over a 100 years ago. Ever since then we have allowed the United States to settle its troops on our precious Island and launch their missiles all over the globe.
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