http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3460
The List: The Six Most Important U.S. Military Bases
By Daniel Widome
Posted May 13, 2006
The U.S. military is cleaning house. Existing bases are being retooled or
eliminated, and new ones are popping up in some unexpected places. FP looks at
the overseas bases that are now vital to the U.S. military-and the new ones
that will change its global footprint for years to come.
(U.S. Department of Defense) Andersen Air Force Base & Apra
Harbor, Guam
The base: Andersen can handle aircraft ranging from unmanned
aerial vehicles to long-range strategic bombers, and Apra Harbor can service
everything from nuclear submarines to aircraft carriers. The naval base is also
home to one of the three Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons worldwide, which
provides mobile, long-term storage of land-combat equipment and supplies near
potential trouble spots.
Its importance: Located in the Pacific Ocean about 2,000
miles from Asia, Guam is close enough to the mainland to be vital in any
conceivable conflict yet distant enough to preclude a surprise blow from an
adversary. Andersen is one of the few locations with the necessary hanger
facilities to protect the B-2's sensitive, radar-evading skin, and strategic
bombers regularly cycle through the base to project power toward mainland Asia.
The best part: unlike other large bases in the region, Guam is U.S. territory.
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Balad Air Base/Camp Anaconda, Iraq
The base: Most prominent of the "enduring bases" being
constructed in Iraq, Balad is located just north of Baghdad. It is one of the
busiest airfields in the country, accommodating both Air Force fighters as well
as transport aircraft. Camp Anaconda, adjacent to the air base, serves as a
main base and logistics center for U.S. troops serving throughout central Iraq.
Its importance: Balad's facilities and location make it more
than just an ideal base from which to fight insurgents in Iraq. It is also
perfectly positioned to project U.S. power throughout the Middle East, and it
will likely do so for many years to come. Although this convenience might serve
wider U.S. interests, it doesn't sit too well with Balad's Iraqi neighbors-U.S.
soldiers have nicknamed Camp Anaconda "Mortaritaville" after a common greeting
they receive.
(U.S. Air Force)
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Bezmer Air Base, Bulgaria
The base: Bezmer reflects a broader trend toward lighter, more
austere bases in Eastern Europe and away from the larger military complexes in
Western and Central Europe. To keep a low profile in the host countries, the
Pentagon is reluctant to even refer to Bezmer and its Eastern European
equivalents as "bases," and it stresses that the host countries retain full
control of their facilities.
Its importance: Compared to U.S. bases in "old" Europe, Bezmer and
its Eastern European equivalents are cheaper to operate and closer to potential
hot spots in the Middle East and Central Asia. In times of conflict, the
military will use these facilities to "surge" men and materiel toward the front
lines. The hope is that former-Soviet bloc host countries will be more amenable
to U.S. bases than other hosts in "old" Europe and be less likely to block
their use in a time of conflict.
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(U.S. Navy) Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
The base: Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Diego
Garcia served as a base for B-52s during the 1991 and 2003 wars with Iraq and
during post-9/11 operations in Afghanistan. Its isolated anchorage is also home
to both Army and Marine seaborne prepositioning squadrons for land-combat
equipment and supplies.
Its importance: Isolation-and British sovereignty-make Diego
Garcia a far more secure base for U.S. forces than any mainland base in Africa,
the Middle East, or South Asia. Specialized shelters to protect the sensitive
stealth equipment of visiting B-2s have recently been installed, and strategic
bombers regularly rotate through the base. The atoll is also an important part
of the U.S. Space Surveillance Network of telescopes, radars, and listening
stations.
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Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba
The base: Originally intended as coaling station for the U.S.
Navy, Guantánamo Bay (or "Gitmo") remains an important logistical base for Navy
units operating in the Caribbean. It also serves as a hub for counter-drug and
migrant interdiction operations.
Its importance: Gitmo's greatest strategic asset is its hazy
legal status-it is U.S.-controlled, but it is not U.S. territory. Although it's
not the only place through which "enemy combatants" (neither POWs nor convicted
criminals) could be processed, it is readily accessible from the U.S. mainland,
and its staff and facilities have experience in detention operations from their
time as host to Haitian and Cuban refugees. As a result, Gitmo is one of the
most well-known and reviled U.S. bases worldwide. The Bush administration has
repeatedly rejected high-profile calls to shut down the base.
(U.S. Department of Defense)
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(U.S. Air Force) Manas Air Base, Kirgizstan
The base: Manas was established at Bishkek's international
airport in the months following 9/11 as a hub for multinational operations in
Afghanistan. It has since grown into a substantial base in the heart of Central
Asia, playing host to combat aircraft, their supporting personnel, and
associated facilities.
Its importance: In addition to its proximity to Afghanistan,
Manas is located near the immense energy reserves of the Caspian Basin, as well
as the Russian and Chinese frontiers. Kirgizstan has not threatened to follow
Uzbekistan's example and expel U.S. forces, which suggests that Manas could
become a linchpin of the enduring U.S. presence in Central Asia. Recognizing
its value, Kirgizstan is talking about raising the rent from $2 million to $207
million per year.
Daniel Widome is a San Francisco-based writer and foreign-policy analyst.
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