The U.S. Navy is bombing Vieques again and the inhabitants of the island have a few good reasons to be upset.

On Thursday, the Navy resumed exercises on Vieques, a small island belonging to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. The exercises involve 25,000 military personnel in combat simulations.

Protesters have also gotten back to work and have attempted several times to penetrate Navy testing grounds.

This issue has split Democrats on Capitol Hill. Many are wary of military force, while others represent regions with military bases.

A recent nonbinding referendum in Puerto Rico found 70 percent of voters wanted to stop bombing near inhabited areas. It also found 1.7 percent of Vieques voters supported the bombing.

The Navy says it’s just trying to “be a good neighbor,” but explosives and faux combat aren’t exactly what most people would expect from their neighbors during peacetime.

It also claims it wishes to affect local communities “as little as possible,” but as it is quickly learning, that impact may not be as little as it may have hoped.

The federal government is afraid a cessation of Vieques exercises would compromise Navy readiness, but it should realize it’s not doing anyone a favor because of the large amount of protesters.

Because Puerto Ricans have little representation in Washington, they can’t readily influence decisions in Congress concerning their land. When so many residents unite against the government, the government should listen.

Lawmakers shouldn’t take advantage of U.S. land without approval from citizens or representatives.

Supporters say the exercises provide a positive boost for the area’s economy, a small concession the islanders are obviously not willing to pay.