... A United States Congressman, Hank Johnson, has become an unlikely internet hit, after he claimed the Asia Pacific island of Guam would "tip over and capsize" from a planned influx of American troops.
The 55 year-old Democratic member of the US House of Representatives claimed he was "obviously" joking when he made the remarks during evidence with a senior Naval officer about the US Military's build-up on the American territory.
While questioning Admiral Robert Willard, the head of the US Pacific fleet, the two-term Congressman from Georgia expressed concerns about the plans to post up to 5000 extra marines, and their families, to the island.
"My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize," the former judge told the House Armed Services Committee hearing.
At the same time he leant to his left and added hand motions suggesting a large vessel tipping into the sea.
After a pregnant pause, Admiral Willard, replied that officials did not expect such a problem.
"We don't anticipate that," he said in a deadpan response, while trying hard not to laugh.
"The Guam population is currently about 175,000 and, again, with 8,000 Marines and their families, that is an addition of about 25,000 more into the population."
Since the exchange last Friday, it has become the most viewed viral video over the past 24 hours.
Since it was posted online late on Wednesday, it has gathered more than 800,000 hits on YouTube. Other versions have thousands of extra hits. ...
