A top Republican lawmaker is sounding the alarm that the U.S. could run out of fuel in the Indo-Pacific if action isn’t taken by the Biden administration.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., who chairs the House Select Committee on the Communist Party, wrote to Secretary Carlos Del Toro regarding the Navy’s ‘inadequate fueling plans’ in the region.
He says that as the Chinese military is becoming increasingly hostile toward U.S. troops, it is a ‘strategic imperative’ to have safe and viable fuel storage in the region.
However, since the Red Hill fuel facility in Hawaii – which held 250 million gallons – was shut down in 2022, there is not a good alternative warns Gallagher.
Since its closure, the Department of Defense and the Navy have ‘repeatedly downplayed the impact the closure’ wrote Gallagher in the letter obtained by DailyMail.com.
He says ‘questions remain’ about whether the Pentagon has a ‘clear plan’ for fuel storage in the absence of Red Hill.
The Navy has ‘inadequate fueling plans’ in the Indo-Pacific region says top Republican Mike Gallagher
Gallagher says that as the Chinese military is becoming increasingly hostile toward U.S. troops, it is a ‘strategic imperative’ to have safe and viable fuel storage in the region
Over 20,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Guam. U.S. Army Spc. Keo Taianao, right, fist-bumps Spc. Sirena Sanchez at the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile site ‘Excalibur’ in Dededo, Guam
‘The recent closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a large logistics facility in Hawaii holding critical stores of fuel, has added to this inherent geographical challenge,’ writes Gallagher.
‘In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s historic military buildup, creating a viable, long-term plan to redistribute Red Hill’s fuel is a strategic imperative.’
In addition, he says that the fleet of tankers to transport the fuel is not adequate.
The Navy appears to be short ‘by several dozen ships’ that will be needed to transport and deliver fuel to bases and help operations in the region.
DailyMail.com reached out to the Navy for a response to the letter.
Last weekend, Taiwan held its closely-watched 2024 election.
Lai Ching-te delivered an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after a raucous campaign in which he pitched himself as the defender of Taiwan’s democratic way of life.
Beijing has in the past slammed Lai, the current vice president, as a dangerous ‘separatist’ and on the eve of the vote, its defence ministry vowed to ‘crush’ any move towards Taiwanese independence.
But on Saturday, after his two opponents conceded defeat, Lai in his victory speech promised to stand ‘on the side of democracy’ and ‘safeguard Taiwan from continuing threat and intimidation from China.’
President Joe Biden sent an ‘unofficial’ delegation to Taiwan after its election on Saturday amid concerns about Beijing’s interference on the self-governed island.
Gallagher also recently laid out concerns about how U.S. troops in Guam are ‘highly vulnerable’ to an attack from China.
Members of the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and Royal n Air Force perform troop movements during Pacific Defender on Pacific Regional Training Center-Andersen, Guam
He says the Chinese have the capability to launch ‘potentially hundreds of inbound cruise missiles’ directed at the U.S. territory.
Guam is the location of the Navy’s only submarine base in the western Pacific. It also hosts a ‘strategically important’ air base with bombers and fighter jets.
‘Such deficiencies put at grave risk our ability to use Guam as a vital submarine port and base to support operations in any contingency with the PRC,’ Gallagher previously said.
He says the ‘significant gaps’ in the U.S. capabilities to defend Guam from PRC cruise missiles is of dire concern.
‘Such deficiencies put at grave risk our ability to use Guam as a vital submarine port and base to support operations in any contingency with the PRC.’