I was chatting with a guy last week in Washington (state) who just got back from 3 years of construction projects for new US military bases. He said that the construction of more than a dozen new bases had been going on for 5 or 6 years. I can't seem to find much from the press about it.
From the description, some are probably drone bases, but others have long runways. Does anyone know anything about this?
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Wandrin;1404887 wrote: I was chatting with a guy last week in Washington (state) who just got back from 3 years of construction projects for new US military bases. He said that the construction of more than a dozen new bases had been going on for 5 or 6 years. I can't seem to find much from the press about it.
From the description, some are probably drone bases, but others have long runways. Does anyone know anything about this?
Only what the government want us to know.
From the description, some are probably drone bases, but others have long runways. Does anyone know anything about this?
Only what the government want us to know.
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fuzzywuzzy
- Posts: 6596
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:35 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
whatever is happening in the east at the moment probably has a lot to do with it.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Chinas influence in Africa is spreading quite rapidly and it is pretty solid. America may need a means to project "democracy" on the continent in the future. Shadowy Arab groups are also getting more powerful on the continent.
It's prudent planning for the future. Africa is incredibly wealthy in natural resources also. One reason we are fighting so hard for influence in central Asia is the vast resources there.
It's prudent planning for the future. Africa is incredibly wealthy in natural resources also. One reason we are fighting so hard for influence in central Asia is the vast resources there.
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AnneBoleyn
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- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:17 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Wandrin;1404887 wrote: I was chatting with a guy last week in Washington (state) who just got back from 3 years of construction projects for new US military bases. He said that the construction of more than a dozen new bases had been going on for 5 or 6 years. I can't seem to find much from the press about it.
From the description, some are probably drone bases, but others have long runways. Does anyone know anything about this?
Where are these new bases located, did he say?
From the description, some are probably drone bases, but others have long runways. Does anyone know anything about this?
Where are these new bases located, did he say?
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
AnneBoleyn;1404916 wrote: Where are these new bases located, did he say?
He said that they were along something the military is calling the "spice route".
He said that they were along something the military is calling the "spice route".
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Scrat;1404914 wrote: Chinas influence in Africa is spreading quite rapidly and it is pretty solid. America may need a means to project "democracy" on the continent in the future. Shadowy Arab groups are also getting more powerful on the continent.
It's prudent planning for the future. Africa is incredibly wealthy in natural resources also. One reason we are fighting so hard for influence in central Asia is the vast resources there.
China has been investing in Africa. Rather than just giving money, they work with locals to build factories and provide jobs. I don't see any reason for a military response to that.
It's prudent planning for the future. Africa is incredibly wealthy in natural resources also. One reason we are fighting so hard for influence in central Asia is the vast resources there.
China has been investing in Africa. Rather than just giving money, they work with locals to build factories and provide jobs. I don't see any reason for a military response to that.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
I wish we had been doing that. At least Russia got fed up with taking our money, that's a few hundred million we can give away to someone else.
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AnneBoleyn
- Posts: 6631
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:17 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Wandrin;1404918 wrote: He said that they were along something the military is calling the "spice route".
That's Asia, Afghanistan, I think.
That's Asia, Afghanistan, I think.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
AnneBoleyn;1404959 wrote: That's Asia, Afghanistan, I think.
I finally found some press coverage. It sounds like we're building bases in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Seychelles, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. The Washington Post article says the new bases are primarily for "intelligence" and drone operations.
Obama's Scramble for Africa Secret Wars, Secret Bases, and the Pentagon's "New Spice Route" in Africa
I finally found some press coverage. It sounds like we're building bases in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Seychelles, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. The Washington Post article says the new bases are primarily for "intelligence" and drone operations.
Obama's Scramble for Africa Secret Wars, Secret Bases, and the Pentagon's "New Spice Route" in Africa
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Officials in Kenya said on Monday that two Iranian agents arrested with explosives planned to attack Israeli, American, British or Saudi Arabian targets inside Kenya.
The officials said that the plot appears to fit into a global pattern of attacks or attempted attacks by Iranian agents, mostly against Israeli interests.
Kenya official: Iranian agents planned attack against Israeli, U.S. targets - Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Chasing and killing Iranian terrorists is always a laudable cause.
The officials said that the plot appears to fit into a global pattern of attacks or attempted attacks by Iranian agents, mostly against Israeli interests.
Kenya official: Iranian agents planned attack against Israeli, U.S. targets - Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Chasing and killing Iranian terrorists is always a laudable cause.
What happened to Kamala Harris' campaign?
She had the black vote all locked up.
She had the black vote all locked up.
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fuzzywuzzy
- Posts: 6596
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:35 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
If that's what they are . Their lawyer says they are businessmen and they say they are innocent and have been interrogated by Israeli agents...
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
China has been investing in Africa. Rather than just giving money, they work with locals to build factories and provide jobs. I don't see any reason for a military response to that.
It's not about factories and jobs, it's about influence. Influence over politics, people and situational influence concerning space and time in general.
Africa has huge amounts of untapped natural wealth, what if China gains too much influence there? What if America and the west are forced into the margins? We need a means to counter Chinese influence on the continent. There is also Iran who is looking to get around the sanctions imposed on it. There is also Muslim extremists in the region who have no liking for the west.
Libya was just a step in the process, Qaddafi had great ideas for Africa. He wanted the USA, United States of Africa. Can you imagine Africa as a power to rival the west? If you think about it an African continent that had its act together would be a force to reckon with. The west cannot allow that to happen. America is setting up the infrastructure to conduct proxy wars all over the continent. More accurately, we're expanding what we already have there greatly.
I think China is going to get more involved, her military is improving by leaps and bounds. Russia is a major supplier of China but for some reason doesn't want to get further involved in world affairs. Russia has only to gain by watching the west and China tear at one another. I think China and Iran are working closely together behind the scenes, both are and will benefit from it. It's kind of a fog if you try to get details though.
Chasing and killing Iranian terrorists is always a laudable cause.
One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. That's not what its about and you know it. As we speak we're supporting terrorists in Syria.
It's not about factories and jobs, it's about influence. Influence over politics, people and situational influence concerning space and time in general.
Africa has huge amounts of untapped natural wealth, what if China gains too much influence there? What if America and the west are forced into the margins? We need a means to counter Chinese influence on the continent. There is also Iran who is looking to get around the sanctions imposed on it. There is also Muslim extremists in the region who have no liking for the west.
Libya was just a step in the process, Qaddafi had great ideas for Africa. He wanted the USA, United States of Africa. Can you imagine Africa as a power to rival the west? If you think about it an African continent that had its act together would be a force to reckon with. The west cannot allow that to happen. America is setting up the infrastructure to conduct proxy wars all over the continent. More accurately, we're expanding what we already have there greatly.
I think China is going to get more involved, her military is improving by leaps and bounds. Russia is a major supplier of China but for some reason doesn't want to get further involved in world affairs. Russia has only to gain by watching the west and China tear at one another. I think China and Iran are working closely together behind the scenes, both are and will benefit from it. It's kind of a fog if you try to get details though.
Chasing and killing Iranian terrorists is always a laudable cause.
One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. That's not what its about and you know it. As we speak we're supporting terrorists in Syria.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Scrat;1405017 wrote: It's not about factories and jobs, it's about influence. Influence over politics, people and situational influence concerning space and time in general.
Africa has huge amounts of untapped natural wealth, what if China gains too much influence there? What if America and the west are forced into the margins? We need a means to counter Chinese influence on the continent. There is also Iran who is looking to get around the sanctions imposed on it. There is also Muslim extremists in the region who have no liking for the west.
Libya was just a step in the process, Qaddafi had great ideas for Africa. He wanted the USA, United States of Africa. Can you imagine Africa as a power to rival the west? If you think about it an African continent that had its act together would be a force to reckon with. The west cannot allow that to happen. America is setting up the infrastructure to conduct proxy wars all over the continent. More accurately, we're expanding what we already have there greatly.
I think China is going to get more involved, her military is improving by leaps and bounds. Russia is a major supplier of China but for some reason doesn't want to get further involved in world affairs. Russia has only to gain by watching the west and China tear at one another. I think China and Iran are working closely together behind the scenes, both are and will benefit from it. It's kind of a fog if you try to get details though.
You make it sound like it is some sort of competition. Aren't other countries allowed to choose their own form of government and the alliances they choose to form with other nations? If we are really concerned, wouldn't it be more effective to build a few factories than to build military bases and try to control them by force?
Africa has huge amounts of untapped natural wealth, what if China gains too much influence there? What if America and the west are forced into the margins? We need a means to counter Chinese influence on the continent. There is also Iran who is looking to get around the sanctions imposed on it. There is also Muslim extremists in the region who have no liking for the west.
Libya was just a step in the process, Qaddafi had great ideas for Africa. He wanted the USA, United States of Africa. Can you imagine Africa as a power to rival the west? If you think about it an African continent that had its act together would be a force to reckon with. The west cannot allow that to happen. America is setting up the infrastructure to conduct proxy wars all over the continent. More accurately, we're expanding what we already have there greatly.
I think China is going to get more involved, her military is improving by leaps and bounds. Russia is a major supplier of China but for some reason doesn't want to get further involved in world affairs. Russia has only to gain by watching the west and China tear at one another. I think China and Iran are working closely together behind the scenes, both are and will benefit from it. It's kind of a fog if you try to get details though.
You make it sound like it is some sort of competition. Aren't other countries allowed to choose their own form of government and the alliances they choose to form with other nations? If we are really concerned, wouldn't it be more effective to build a few factories than to build military bases and try to control them by force?
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Clodhopper
- Posts: 5115
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:11 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Spice route is an ancient thing. But the bottleneck was/is what we now call the Middle East. When we had an Empire with serious interests in India we wanted to control the trade routes there, and fought wars aginst muslim fundamentalists AND Egyptian nationalists to do so (at diferent times).
The USA is a commercial empire, remember - they depend on the interest payments of debts to fund the military industrial complex to enforce the payment of those debts. And have done since they learned in WW1 how profitable it was to do so.
Here's an interesting little one:
WW2 happened because the Treaty of Versailles which ended the 1st WW basically kept Germany bankrupt and the social misery that resulted encouraged the rise of Hitlerite extremism. By the end of WW1 both France and Britain had borrowed a lot of cash from America. France and Russia had borrowed a lot of cash from Britain. None of us could repay the cash without immense suffering. America would not forgive the debt or any part of it. The only way for France to get the cash was to take it from Germany (we had some reserves, but it cleaned us out and then some). The only way that could happen was if Germany admitted responsibility for the war and could therefore be charged for the expense of that war (we joined in at that point). That is why the terms of the Versailles Treaty were so harsh to Germany. WW2 happened because the Treaty of Versailles basically kept Germany bankrupt...
The USA is a commercial empire, remember - they depend on the interest payments of debts to fund the military industrial complex to enforce the payment of those debts. And have done since they learned in WW1 how profitable it was to do so.
Here's an interesting little one:
WW2 happened because the Treaty of Versailles which ended the 1st WW basically kept Germany bankrupt and the social misery that resulted encouraged the rise of Hitlerite extremism. By the end of WW1 both France and Britain had borrowed a lot of cash from America. France and Russia had borrowed a lot of cash from Britain. None of us could repay the cash without immense suffering. America would not forgive the debt or any part of it. The only way for France to get the cash was to take it from Germany (we had some reserves, but it cleaned us out and then some). The only way that could happen was if Germany admitted responsibility for the war and could therefore be charged for the expense of that war (we joined in at that point). That is why the terms of the Versailles Treaty were so harsh to Germany. WW2 happened because the Treaty of Versailles basically kept Germany bankrupt...
The crowd: "Yes! We are all individuals!"
Lone voice: "I'm not."
Lone voice: "I'm not."
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
War has always been very profitable for the few.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
You make it sound like it is some sort of competition. Aren't other countries allowed to choose their own form of government and the alliances they choose to form with other nations? If we are really concerned, wouldn't it be more effective to build a few factories than to build military bases and try to control them by force?
It is a competition. A battle over situational influence, you use the assets you have to influence situations that arise either for or against you. If a country forms and the government of that country is not obedient you have a "revolution" and put in place a government that does your bidding. Jobs, people, liberty, freedom are just words. The west tried this in central Asia and some of the post Soviet states, they had "colored revolutions" and "rose revolutions". Afghanistan is part of this effort. Apparently it has largely failed or been checked by Russia.
Clodhopper lays out one dimension of it in finer detail. There are many more dimensions to it though and it is very complex.
It is a competition. A battle over situational influence, you use the assets you have to influence situations that arise either for or against you. If a country forms and the government of that country is not obedient you have a "revolution" and put in place a government that does your bidding. Jobs, people, liberty, freedom are just words. The west tried this in central Asia and some of the post Soviet states, they had "colored revolutions" and "rose revolutions". Afghanistan is part of this effort. Apparently it has largely failed or been checked by Russia.
Clodhopper lays out one dimension of it in finer detail. There are many more dimensions to it though and it is very complex.
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AnneBoleyn
- Posts: 6631
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:17 pm
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Wandrin;1405069 wrote: War has always been very profitable for the few.
They are the only ones who count. They create jobs for us & tinkle down on us. I mean trickle. Same thing really. Only gods create.
They are the only ones who count. They create jobs for us & tinkle down on us. I mean trickle. Same thing really. Only gods create.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
AnneBoleyn;1405146 wrote: They are the only ones who count. They create jobs for us & tinkle down on us. I mean trickle. Same thing really. Only gods create.
I'll alert Fox News. We have a new term for them: job tinklers.
I'll alert Fox News. We have a new term for them: job tinklers.
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Here's an article on where China gets its oil.
Expanding China-Africa Oil Ties - Council on Foreign Relations
And a quote.
China now receives an estimated one-third of its oil imports from Africa (ChinaBriefing), which holds just 9 to10 percent of the world's oil reserves. Its largest African suppliers of oil are Angola, Sudan, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria. Other African countries that export oil to China include Gabon, Algeria, Libya, Liberia, Chad, and Kenya.
How many of those countries are currently undergoing some kind of a conflict or recently have had one? How many are on Americas bad guy target list? You can add Venezuela to it also, they supply around 22% of Chinas oil. Hugo Chavez is no friend of Washington. Russia and China finished a pipeline about 18 months ago. 300,000 barrels of oil a day. Russia is public enemy #1 to the west.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12103865
See the pattern?
Expanding China-Africa Oil Ties - Council on Foreign Relations
And a quote.
China now receives an estimated one-third of its oil imports from Africa (ChinaBriefing), which holds just 9 to10 percent of the world's oil reserves. Its largest African suppliers of oil are Angola, Sudan, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria. Other African countries that export oil to China include Gabon, Algeria, Libya, Liberia, Chad, and Kenya.
How many of those countries are currently undergoing some kind of a conflict or recently have had one? How many are on Americas bad guy target list? You can add Venezuela to it also, they supply around 22% of Chinas oil. Hugo Chavez is no friend of Washington. Russia and China finished a pipeline about 18 months ago. 300,000 barrels of oil a day. Russia is public enemy #1 to the west.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12103865
See the pattern?
Why is the US building all of these new military bases in Africa?
Here's another on central Asia. The Stans. People wonder why we're in Afghanistan, it's not to fight terrorists. It's about central Asian oil and gas. Same goes for Syria. Syria would be the last leg of a major pipeline coming from central Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. President Assad has always been less than cooperative with the powers of the west. He dares to say no and therefore has a price on his head.
BBC News - Will Central Asia's oil and gas go east or west?
BBC News - Will Central Asia's oil and gas go east or west?