Koror (Palau) (AFP) – Dotted with turquoise lagoons and home to rare dugongs, or sea cows, the Pacific archipelago of Palau is facing the threat of US military expansion. The scene of fierce clashes between American and Japanese forces during WWII, Palau has since hosted a US military presence, ceding access to Washington in return for funding and visa-free work and study. Now, the US plans to build a new naval harbour, as well as a radar site, airfield and stockpile for marines in order to boost its capabilities in an area 500km west of the South China Sea. The plans have stoked concern among locals, who fear the return of fighting to their shores, and ecologists worried by the construction’s impact on the delicate ecosystem.
