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发帖数: 2038 | 1 U.S. military considering mandatory evacuations in Yokosuka
By Chris Lawrence, CNN Pentagon Correspondent
March 21, 2011 8:24 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Contingency plans being discussed, defense official says
* Only family members being flown out as of now
* No warships left at base
Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. military is considering the mandatory
evacuation of thousands of American troops and their families in Japan out
of concern over rising radiation levels, a senior defense official tells CNN.
The official, who did not want to be on the record talking about ongoing
deliberations, says there are no discussions to evacuate all U.S. troops
across the country. The talks have focused exclusively on U.S. troops in
Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, the official said. Yokosuka is home to
America's largest naval base in Japan. The military is monitoring radiation
levels on a constant basis.
As of Monday, the U.S. Navy had no more warships in port at the base. The
aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which had been undergoing
maintenance in Yokosuka, left port Monday in order to get away from the
plume of radioactive particles that could blow over the base. Because it
left port with a much smaller than normal crew, the George Washington will
not take part in the Japanese relief effort.
The official said the talks originated with Pacific Command, the military
authority that directly oversees U.S. troops in the region, but "discussions
have since taken place here in Washington as well."
The official told CNN this is strictly a contingency plan, and could be
accomplished "if they needed to do it in a hurry, with gray tails," or large
military transport planes like a C-17.
CBS News first reported that the evacuation were being considered.
A second defense official at Pacific Command, who would not go on the record
for the same reason, would only say they "are monitoring the situation, and
will continue to do so and keep our families informed. Prudent planning
always happens."
An official statement released by U.S. Pacific Command, which oversees all
military operations in Asia, states that the only evacuations being
performed now are under State Department guidelines, which calls for
voluntary evacuations of military family members, paid for by the U.S.
government.
A flight carrying 154 military family members left Japan Monday, flying into
Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, according to Lt. Commander Bill Lewis
, a spokesman for U.S. Northern Command. That followed a flight that
departed Saturday with 230 people on board. | s****l
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