Murtha: Africans won't allow U.S. military HQ

[sabra]

Source: ChicagoTrib Swamp Politics Blog

<snip>

At a Capitol Hill press conference yesterday at which he and two other senior Democrats said they would introduce an Iraq war surtax to help pay for the war (an idea going nowhere since the House's Democratic leadership doesn't support it) Murtha blurted out some interesting information that hasn't gotten much coverage. The U.S. military's new Africa Command can't get an African country to accept a U.S. base on the continent, he said.

Here's an excerpt of Murtha's comments:

U.S. Africa event, General Jones told me and (inaudible) said the same thing in NATO, the Chinese are all over Africa because of the resources. We cannot find an African country that will take American headquarters. I called the other day and talked to the people at NATO and I said, what are you doing putting the headquarters in Germany? It'll never get it out of there. They said we can't find a place to put it in Africa; nobody will accept it.

...

The "Gen. Jones" Murtha referred to is Gen. James Jones, the Marine who serves as Supreme Allied Commander Europe which makes him NATO's top commander. He also commands the U.S.'s European Command or Eucom which is responsible for all U.S. forces on the European Continent and, until Africa Command was formed, a good part of that continent and Israel.

Murtha didn't offer an analysis of what exactly was happening. Was it an international antipathy to the U.S. role in Iraq that was causing African nations to refuse the U.S. military basing rights?

Read more: http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/murtha_africans_wont_allow_us.html#more

[MADem]

1. Well, there's always Egypt. They're on the continent. I'll bet they'd find room if they had to.

Might also be an opportunity for Muamar Qaddafi to really show us how sincere he is in his post-PanAm 103 phase, and fork over some basing rights there as well--maybe he'd give us back one of the old bases we used to have over there....

Those two nations are convenient to other commands, as well. Certainly closer to the game than fucking Germany.

[formercia]

2. Or Djibouti

All they need is Zouave uniforms and 8mm Lebel rifles.

[ohio2007]

9. Isn't there a French base in Djibouti? yes

they allowed some US military flights in and oout of there when things were getting out of hand in Somolia.

[formercia]

12. 'Beau' Geste

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/djibouti.htm

Djibouti

Djibouti has been cooperating in the US-led war against terrorism, and several hundred American troops have been stationed at Le Monier barracks since April 2002. On 19 September 2002 US military officials said 800 special-operations troops have been moved to Djibouti, where they could be used to hunt for al-Qaida terrorists in nearby Yemen. Military Police personnel are also known to be deployed in Djibouti, although Pentagon officials stress police deployments are routine for security purposes during foreign deployments. Dispatching the troops to Djbouti, and also sending a ship to the region with two-thousand Marines, US officials said they had no specific intelligence on any al-Qaida terrorists in Yemen or anywhere else in the region.

Djibouti is France's largest foreign military base. Djibouti is host to several thousand French military personnel, including the 13e Démi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère (13e DBLE - 13th Half-Brigade of the Foreign Legion).

US naval vessels and aircraft use Djibouti's facilities, and the two countries perform joint military exercises. US military and economic aid was $7 million in 2000. This included $2.7 million in emergency food aid, $2 million to start a humanitarian demining program, and $100,000 for self-help, democracy and human rights. The country retains close relations with France and other Western nations as well as with Islamic states.

Djibouti is a major, well-equipped, international port, whose management has been recently turned over to a Dubai-based company. Ethiopia, a landlocked country, is the main user of the port. Fairly good roads link all the small towns to the capital city of Djibouti. The infrastructure still needs much improvement, as paved roads still are not extensive. Djibouti has an international airport, which can handle large aircraft such as the Boeing 747.
--snip--

[Thothmes]

13. Routinely allow U.S. Naval vessels to refuel there also

[Spinzonner]

4. Or our former colony Liberia

[MADem]

5. Shit's pretty rough there. Better off in Egypt or Libya, frankly.

Strongman leaders with absolute control over their populations. Fewer shenanigans...

[Gunit_Sangh]

3. Don't forget POLAND!

n/t

[MADem]

6. Gee, Bush would probably think that's near (dramatic pause) AHHF-fri-CAAAH!

[Chovexani]

8. Bush probably thinks Africa's just a Toto song. (n/t)

[Chovexani]

7. They ain't stupid. (n/t)

[Sweet Pea]

10. That's funny

We have the Joint Task Force Horn Of Africa HQ in Djibouti. That is in Africa, last time I checked. Basing rights, lots of troops, the works.

[Peace Patriot]

11. Ecuador is kicking the U.S. out of the Manta air base, and Gates is on a trip to

Latin America right now, trying to kneecap one of our few remaining South American client states into accepting a base (as a sub for Manta). Rumor was that Colombia or Peru might do it, but both governments have denied it--which tells you a lot about the state of things, U.S.-wise, in South America. Persona non grata, that's what we are. Leftist (majorityist) governments covering almost the whole continent now.

So this is kind of interesting, what Murtha said. Could be the same phenomenon. The world's people hate Bush/U.S. And few governments want to be seen as cooperating with Bush's lawless, warmongering shit.

I wonder what the Bushits were/are seeking in Africa, and why? Don't they have enough military bases in the world? Jeez. They're all over the place. And I think there are one or two in Africa already.