US Denies Permanence of Bases, including Diego Garcia
17.02.2008
The USA has become increasingly jumpy about its overseas bases, as the NO BASES network, and vast numbers of other anti-bases movements all over the world protest against its 740 or so overseas bases. In the US itself, the movement "Bring the Troops Home!" after hearing Ram Seegobin of LALIT's speech in Australia on military bases, went home to his organization and convinced them to extend their slogan to "Bring the Troops Home from the Front and from the Bases!" One of the other, all major US anti-war groups have endorsed the anti-bases stand.
Now, Russian president Putin, is protesting against the bases being built all around Russia, mainly in ex-USSR countries or Eastern Block countries, and threatening a return to military build-up.
At the same time, according to Chris Good of the Washington publication, The Hill, "Forty-six congressional Democrats will send a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey Friday afternoon, asking him what he is doing to ensure that President Bush follows Congress ban on establishing permanent military bases."
On Tuesday, according to AFP, the US affirmed that it "does not consider any of its foreign military bases as permanent, except perhaps for Guantanamo." Dana Perino of the White House is quoted as saying that at present the US is only present on the invitation of the host country. She is not aware of any base where this is not the case, and where the US is asked to leave, she adds, they will leave. Only when questioned about Guantanamo did she say, "It doesnt count".
