Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the agreement with Poland restrict activity to direct support of NATO? Its not like the agreements that we currently enjoy with the FRG which allows staging through as long as the host government is informed.
As for US bases in the middle east...to be sure, Israel would not like basing of US forces, unless there was an advantage to them allowing the basing. The last time that this came up, the Israel wanted a mutual defense pact that would require that US forces based in Israel to assist the IDF in the event of an Arab military action...and required those forces be under IDF command.
Just a bit of a sticking point.
But the US does need bases in an area of the world that is becoming increasingly important. Both the Middle East and the Indian Ocean are major areas of intrest. Diego Garcia is just to small and too far out in the Indian Ocean to sustain major forces. Its doubtful that Iraq would want any US presence. Afghanistan is very favorable right now, but the lack of harbors requires land transport (through Pakistan and with the current state of affairs...) or aerial resupply (NOT sustainable in the long run).
Would India allow a US presence, doubtful at best.
Perhaps Vietnam would allow the US to rebuild its former facilities at Cam Rhan Bay? Especially with the current distrust that they have with China...and how would that rate on the irony scale?
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
|