USA HAS 800 MILITARY BASES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE. THIS HAS BOTH NEGATIVE AS WELL AS POSITIVE. HERE's HOW.
The world order has been hegemonic since the fall of the USSR in 1991. The Americans have had almost the whole world as their sphere of influence. Military bases are a symbol of the hard power & might of a nation. They allow a foreign power to keep the regional imbalance in check.
But the question is why did these countries allow USA to build military bases within their own sovereign territory?
FOR THIS LETS ANALYSE ON A REGIONAL BASIS WITH SHORT EXPLANATIONS:
EUROPE
A powerful nation like Germany also has 30,000 American troops stationed in Stuttgart & Rhineland. This was because of division of Germany between the allies after WW2 where USA had to protect its territory from Russian aggression. Apart from this, Belgium, Greece,Netherlands,Portugal, Spain, Denmark & Iceland also have bases for the purpose of stability & naval protection.
GERMAN AIR BASE
ASIA
USA has many bases in Asia as it took part in many conflicts in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Also to thwart Russian influence, it has many bases in Central Asia from the Cold War era. Israel, a staunch US ally also has a base. Japan has 3 bases since WW2. Singapore also has a base to control piracy in the Pacific & South China Sea.
AFRICA
Unsurprisingly, Africa has a plethora of bases due to lack of infrastructure, need for aid, foreign dependence & poor economic growth.Countries like Niger, DCR &Ethiopia are host to military bases.
AFRICAN PRESENCE
AMERICAS
To protect its interests in its own backyard, USA has many bases in Latin America especially in Northern region due to the close proximity to USA. Nations like Brazil, Honduras and even Cuba have military bases.
BASE IN CUBA
PROS
These bases help in maintaining regional stability. Example in Eastern Europe, the Russians are wary of strong American presence and have thus been discouraged to invade the Balkan states.
They allow free flow of goods in international waters as American Navy have always protected merchant ships from piracy & intimidation.
For USA, it is a means to exert influence & flex its politico muscles.
They help in upholding American interests in foreign land. Example is military base in Afghanistan which has helped to wage the war against Taliban.
CONS
Maintaining foreign bases is a costly affair, as every US soldier costing a whopping $40,000 dollars per month in comparison to $10,000 for every domestic one.
After some time, the locals may despise foreign presence in their own backyard. Example is the town of Osaka ,Japan.
Reactionary elements in the government & the military may tend to use these forces as means of aggression causing loss of life & money. Example is the American invasion of Iraq in 2003.
On the other hand, it also becomes easier for destructive elements like Hezbollah to portray USA as invaders & start a conflict as they did in Lebanon.
IRAN BACKED HEZBOLLAH
I BELIEVE THIS WAS A SHORT AND INCISIVE ACCOUNT OF AMERICA'S FOREIGN ENDEAVORS IN TERMS OF THE MILITARY. i HOPE YOU GET AT LEAST A BASIC PERSPECTIVE ON THIS TOPIC. WITH SUCH HOPES, I SIGN OFF FOR TODAY.
BUBAYE.
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