Navy Suspends Use of Bombing Range
The Bush administration suspended Navy bombing on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques while negotiators pursue a permanent solution to the bitter dispute over U.S. military use of the island.
The decision, revealed by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, is a concession to the new Puerto Rican government, which wants the Navy to withdraw from the training range it has used on Vieques for decades. The Navy has resisted, saying Vieques is vital for its Atlantic fleet.
On Vieques, the decision was cheered by opponents of the Navy’s presence.
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