The Marshall Islands are of military importance, we don't squat in the island chain for economic gain.

This seems like a non sequitur? The US military can staff its own bases without relying upon native labor, as it does in places like Diego Garcia

	▲	jvanderbot 6 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		As said above, you want the population (the ones that run the government right?) to stay there and happy, so that the bases are welcome and symbolic.