A petition sponsored by the Portuguese-American Citizenship Project (PACP) was posted on Facebook to stop the proposed reduction of US military presence at Lajes Air Force Base, on Terceira, Azores.
The initiative urges Portuguese-Americans to undersign the petition requesting Congress to continue supporting Lajes Air Force Base on Terceira.
Petition Background
For more than six decades the Azores has hosted a U.S. military presence at Lajes Air Force Base, which has bolstered the U.S. and its allies’ control of the Atlantic. Lajes is a valuable military asset that enables for the rapid deployment of warfighters, aircraft, ships and global communications for AFRICOM and CENTCOM’s joint, coalition, and NATO operations.
In addition to being a globally strategic military asset, Lajes plays a pivotal role in U.S.–Portugal bilateral relations. Additionally, the base plays an important economic role in the Azorean economy. It is estimated that the proposed reduction of force at Lajes would result in a 40% increase in unemployment on the Island of Terceira and lead to 1.5% reduction in GDP for the Azores as a whole.
To sign log on to >> MoveOn.org Petitions >>
Source: Portuguese-American Citizenship Project >> Website >> Facebook >>
Related Post
- Community Alert: Provision to keep Lajes Air Field open not included in Senate Bill – Washington, DC
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