Sunday, October 9, 2016

Should The U.S. Close Its Overseas Military Bases?

(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Located: The U.S. has military bases around the world, as depicted in this graphic. Daily Mail

John Glaser, Time: Why We Should Close America’s Overseas Military Bases

They do not support our core national interests

Despite our unorthodox presidential election, America’s overseas military bases are largely taken for granted in today’s foreign policy debates. The U.S. maintains a veritable empire of military bases throughout the world—about 800 of them in more than 70 countries. Many view our bases as a symbol of our status as the dominant world power. But America’s forward-deployed military posture incurs substantial costs and disadvantages, exposing the U.S. to vulnerabilities and unintended consequences.

Our overseas bases simply do not pay enough dividends when it comes to core national interests. Here are seven reasons why it’s time to close them.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Russia has only a naval and air force base in Syria .... and maybe a future base in Cuba and/or Vietnam. China has only a military base agreement with Djibouti. Both countries are major powers on the world scene .... and they certainly do not have 800 bases. Is the U.S. over-extended with such a huge military base presence around the world .... that is an answer that I do not know. But I do know that it is a discussion that should be brought up in the next administration.

4 comments:

B.Poster said...

Clearly it would seem 800 or so are WAY to many and the US is overextended on this. Do ALL of them need to be closed? Probably not.

We definitely need to have a frank discusion on this. The problem is the hysterical anti-American left dominates this discussion with the argument that America is the most hideous evil in world history and tbat all bases need to be closed immeduately. Such arguments are ridiculous and over the top. Since this is the leading narrative and it is ridiculous, nothing constructive ends up being done.

Hamilcar Barca said...

This is the secret of the world dominance by diplomacy and democracy of USA and it greatest strength ,something that Russia will never achieve !

Si-vis-pasen- said...

I would go back to the Gorge Washington
Doctrine,Russia and China are not enemies just competition for the status quo and the group of banks'ters . that have made the U.S a third world countries .

Unknown said...

Payroll is payroll

Infrastructure is infrastructure.

The payroll does not cost more in Australia than in the U.S.

The greatest cost to payroll would be moving household stuff.

Away from home payroll is no more than sending a boat to the middle of the Atlantic for 30 days, which happens often.

Infrastructure in an undeveloped country is more expensive but it comes down over time as cost saving measures get implemented.

A base in an western, allied country can have (& in some places do) the infrastructure paid for by the host country.

If we do not want to fight Abu Sayyaf, then we may not need bases in the Phillipines. Heard of Operation Bojinka? Got Brains?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bojinka_plot
I think in 1995 Bill Clinton was experimenting with cigars and Monica.



If we do not want to fight Boko Haram, then we should not be in West Africa

If we do not want to fight Al Shabab then we should not be in Somalia.

If We do not want to fight Kony (Remember the Kony 2012 slobbering Causehead Fest?), then we should not be in Ugunda.

We really should not be in Ugunda. Obama the Coward in Chief has no intention of capturing Kony.

If we do not want to fight the Taliban, then we should not have an airbase in Central Asia. The Left was all over ridiculing the misogynist Taliban in 1999 & 2000 until it came time to fight them. Imagine that.

The crotch grabbing Left should just come clean and tell us who they do not want to fight. When those people do something the Left does not like they should then stay mum.