Guam's Strategic Importance to the U.S.

In apparent response to Trump's promise of "fire and fury" in the event of any threat to the United States from North Korea, Pyongyang has said it is "carefully examining" a plan to attack the U.S. Territory of Guam, saying they will engulf the island with an "enveloping fire".

As well as being home to over 162 thousand people, Guam is of key strategic importance to the U.S. military. With a large proportion of the 544km² occupied by the Andersen Air Force Base in the north, home to rotating deployments of B-1, B-2 and B-52 strategic bombers, and a naval base in the west, it is understandable why the island is sometimes referred to as America's 'permanent aircraft carrier'. In terms of personnel, as of March 31, Guam was home to 4,290 active duty Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, 1,739 National Guard/Reserves, as well as 2,133 APF civilians.