Look abroad to close bases

Lindaloo · #1 Postby **Lindaloo** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:14 pm

If the Defense Department is looking for places where there are too many military bases, it should look overseas, says U.S. Sen. Trent Lott.

Lott, R-Miss., is critical of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's plan to liquidate American bases before looking at those in foreign lands. Lott has repeatedly said that domestic bases should be kept a top priority.

"I'm not saying, 'Let's become isolationists,' and draw out all of the troops'' from overseas, Lott told the Daily Times Leader newspaper of West Point. "I'm saying let's deploy fewer troops in a smarter manner.''

"We want to have a military force that is light, mobile and technologically advanced, so our needs are different around the world. We're still living in the World War II model,'' the senator said.

Rumsfeld's base closing report to Congress contains a memorandum from Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying the chiefs of the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps agree that more bases must be closed and realigned if the Pentagon is to meet the threats to America's national security.

The Pentagon has estimated the country has about 25 percent more bases than it needs. By closing the bases, the savings can be shifted elsewhere in the military budget.

A Base Realignment and Closure Commission will recommend to the president and Congress which military facilities should be shut down. All the state's defense facilities survived previous rounds of base closings in 1991, 1993 and 1995.

There are nine bases in eight communities in Mississippi, including pilot training facilities at Meridian, Columbus and Biloxi. A list of bases targeted for closure is expected to be released in May 2005.

Lott said military installations abroad should be examined first.

"We still have thousands of troops in Germany. Why? Are we defending them against the Soviet Union? It doesn't exist anymore.

"In Germany, they're saying, 'No, don't take your troops out.' Yet, when we needed the Germans in Iraq, where were they? They were hiding out with the French. So I think it's time to bring back some of our units in Europe,'' Lott said.

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Could not have said it better myself.

#2 Postby **cycloneye** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:26 pm

Lindaloo on march 31 the Roosvelt Roads naval base here in Puerto Rico will close due to the less importance of it because of the no more Vieques practice range and also due to economic issues.

Lindaloo · #3 Postby **Lindaloo** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:29 pm

Sorry to hear that Luis. I just feel that we need to keep our bases open here and close those we do not need overseas.

rainstorm · #4 Postby **rainstorm** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 6:44 pm

i disagree. the military needs to get rid of unnecessary bases. this points out the more general
problem of cutting govt spending. everyone is for it till it effects them, so nothing ever gets cut. the foreign bases are much more important for fast deployment of troops

mf_dolphin · #5 Postby **mf_dolphin** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 6:49 pm

Rainstorm, the deployments don't happen from overseas bases for the most part.I for one see no reason to keep supporting the German economy.

stormraiser · #6 Postby **stormraiser** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:44 pm

I agree Marshall. These men and women are being paid by our tax money to protect the Germans and the rest of Europe who forgot how we helped them rebuild after WWII. Bring them home and make America great.

mf_dolphin · #7 Postby **mf_dolphin** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:58 pm

While we can't remove all overseas bases we can shut down those not required post cold-war. There are plenty of ex-Soviet states that would love to have some US hard currency that we shouldn't keep supporting a country that is so hostile to the US.

Rainband · #8 Postby **Rainband** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:01 pm

I agree Marshall :wink:

rainstorm · #9 Postby **rainstorm** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:27 pm

i agree, move the bases to poland. but we need to cut govt spending here. there are plenty of unnecessary bases in the states, several right here in se va

#10 Postby **streetsoldier** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:42 pm

Sending smaller, light-force troops to bases in Poland, Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania/Ukraine, Romania and Slovenia would place them in a MUCH better position to respond to any Middle Eastern theater...but, at the same time, Russia would consider such bases a threat to their "security" (yeah, right...as if we are going to invade Matruska Rossye?)... :roll:

Lindaloo · #11 Postby **Lindaloo** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 11:21 am

Russia! LOL!! What an joke.

Look abroad to close bases

Look abroad to close bases

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