Successful Operation In Iraq

In Iraq, there was a major operation in Baghdad to protect the U.S. forces in the area. The Arrowhead Division where on the operation “Arrowhead Strike 9”, last week which prevented 3,200 roadside bombs, also jailing 42 terrorist which help the U.S. military get a big amount of weapons they had on there territory. This was an imprecise operation for the military because the soldiers captured and destroyed 356 small arms and they also found 92 other weapons. In the operation, 3 terrorists were killed in combat and 101 suspects to be terrorist are being hold for questions. 42 of them are in permanent detention, said Col. Steve Townsend. The operation Arrowhead strike 9 was beyond any normal operation because of the amount of bombs they found. The terrorists were living among the regular people and in the hardest conditions in Baghdad. They were supporting Iraqis efforts like; security, transition, economy, and governance. Even though the operation was a success, the lives of 2 American soldiers and 1 Iraqi soldier were lost during the mission. For Col. Townsend, the most important thing is to reinforce the ground bases in the area. For the soldiers, this was a necessary successful mission, which encourages them to keep protecting this nation.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=33001

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Asia Angry With Bases?

In Central Asia, the U.S. has two military bases located in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The U.S. says that the purposes of these bases is to operated and fight the war in Afghanistan. Even though the U.S. government is benefiting from these bases, it wont be for long. A regional group of countries like Russia and China don’t like the idea of the bases in these regions and they want to stop it by pressuring the U.S. to remove its forces from these areas. Also the leaders of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan want their regions back, and argued the real purpose of this bases. Donald Rumsfeld, the U.S. Defense secretary said that those bases are necessary to fight the war against Afghanistan and he also said that those bases are not permanent locations. U.S. is also benefiting in other ways that involves natural resources. The regions are rich in energy resources like OIL and many others. Central Asians are not happy with the U.S. taking their oil, and accuse the government for seeking a permanent are in Asia. As we all know, the real goal for these two bases is to get natural resources like oil, and also fight terrorism-as the government says.

http://www.blogrel.com/2005/07/27/us-military-bases-in-central-asia/

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More Bases In Europe!!

The United States wants to set up missile defense sites in Europe. After feeling threat by Iran, the U.S. government has been doing negotiations with Poland and Czech Rep. To located ground-base interceptor missiles in those countries. Since Iran is continuing growing their nuclear and missile capabilities, the U.S. doesn’t want to take any risk. With this bases, the U.S. not only would protect itself and Poland/Czech Rep., but also the troops that are stationed in Europe. Poland’s defense Minister Radek Sikorski said that talks about the subject has been made “ their most important ally”. Nothing has been decided yet, because the agreement is not guaranteed since they have to approve the plan. Experts hope that it won’t take long to begin the plan in several months. Even though both countries feel the need to keep close ties with the U.S., their people don’t agree. Like in Italy, in Poland and the Czech Rep. People are protesting because they feel that the closer the U.S. is, the more likely they’ll get attacks from countries in the middle east. Another country that doesn’t like this missile defense bases is Russia. The system” creates a clear threat for Russia,” said Col. Vladimir Popovkin. Washington reassures Russia that it doesn’t have to fear the system. Now that the U.S. has plans of missile defense bases, other countries are also working to create theirs.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-01/23/content_790075.htm

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The Philippines Says NO!

After the media started some rumors of an U.S. military base in the Philippines, Blas Ople the Philippines foreign affairs secretary said that is not true. a couple of weeks ago, some officials from the pentagon went to visited the Philippines to met with people from the presidential commission. In this meting, reporters said that there was a possibility that visiting was to sat up military bases in the Philippines again. It’s been 12 years since the U.S. treaty of basing was rejected by the Philippine senate. Amado Valdez who is an undersecretary of the presidential commission said that instead of an agreement of a base in the Philippines, officials discussed to set up an international facility for some countries. This facility probably would be located in the former US bases in Clack Field and Subic in northern Philippines. Ople who reacted to statements made by Amado Valdez said, "No such request have been made". Also, Ople said that if the alternative option of the facilities in Clack Field and Subic would have to be viewed by the government because it involves no basic rights. Even though that the relationship between the U.S. And the Philippines have "matured" like Ople said, the fact is that the U.S. doesn’t have any part or any saying when it come to the relations with the Philippines. The U.S. Has not even asked to return to the Philippines. If the U.S. wanted to return to the Philippines, it would be temporary on the agreements of visiting, and not basing. A permanent base of any foreign country is a no, said Ople.

http://english.people.com.cn/200308/29/eng20030829_123373.shtml

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/images/philippinemap-s.jpg

Dick Cheney

In one of the U.S. military base located in Afghanistan, there was an explosion. The explosion happened around the security gate on the base of Bagram. At that same time, the Vice President Dick Cheney was visiting the same base and was there when the explosion occurred. The chief of the base, Major William Mitchell said that the explosion was not created to harm the Vice President because he wasn’t near it when it happened. The Vice President was in the moment of the explosion well within the base and in a safe area. Unfortunately not everyone escaped safety as 19 people were killed after the blast. “20-30 people were either killed or wounded,” said a shopkeeper of a market outside the base. Cheney after spending the night in the base left at 10am to the States. Military officials declared a red alert in the base after the explosion, and the wounded people were taken inside the base to be treated. Because the explosion was so big that created a plume of smoke that was seen by people in the base including Cheney, the base will have to increase its security outside the base. “Cheney is fine”, said a spokeswoman, but we all can imagine how scary a blast like that would’ve been.

http://english.pravda.ru/news/hotspots/27-02-2007/87761-afghan-explosion-0

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060524/060524_cheney_vsmall8p.widec.jpg

Angry Italians!

In Italy, many Italians protested against the U.S. because the military wants to expand its base called Camp Ederle which is located in northern Italian in the city of Vicenza. The march was made by left-wing militants and local civilians that are against the expansion of Camp Ederle. This area is the home of the 173rd airborne brigade. The people protesting were holding slogans that said “Yankees go Home”. This people were also protesting because the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi approved the U.S. plans to expand the base. To some the people that military base doesn’t have a point in that area. For the U.S., this base is very important because it will be used to establish troops.
Right now there are about 2,750 soldiers which are stationed there. This base will be enlarged in 2010 because some more 1,800 U.S. soldiers who are stationed in Germany will go to the base in Italy under an agreement that President George W Bush made with the minister. The large amount of people protesting try to make the minister resigned this plan. Because of the chaos and violence, most of the city of Vicenza stayed close and it was said that there were high tensions in the march. This protest was an attempt by unions against the U.S. and the Iraqi war which is affecting the lives of people in Italy.

http://www.neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=70785

http://www.marin.cc.ca.us/~jim/photos/italy/protest.JPG

Oldest Base, But Is It A Safe Place?

Military bases are seen as a place of safety were soldiers can go to do their missions, but one bases of the U.S. seems to be in a danger zone as it is located in Guantanamo Bay Cuba. This military base was founded in 1903 and it is the oldest U.S. bases outside the states. It is located in the southern east corner of Cuba and its 400 miles away form Florida. The base was established when the U.S. leased the land to used it for coaling. In 1934, both countries signed a treaty that allowed Cuba and its trading to go into the base. The main purposed of this base has been assistance to immigrants from Cubans and Haitians.
Even though this base is the oldest, it has gone through many problems with Cuba. After having a normal relationship with Cuba, the U.S. broke all ties when the Cuban revolution began and was lead by Fidel Castro in the 1950’s. In 1958, sailors and marines were kidnapped outside the base by Cuban forces which were lead by Raul Castro, bother of Fidel. After Fidel Castro declared himself in favor for the Marxist power, the Cuban territory outside the base was restricted of civilians in the base. Other problem was when people in the base were evacuated to the U.S. because President Kennedy found out of the Soviet Missiles in Cuba. Everyone returned to the base that same year.
The base suffer another crisis when in 1964, Castro cut off the water and energy supply of the base. Since them, the base has created its own water and energy supply, and after time employees were evacuated for reparations to the base. As shown by its history, Guantanamo Bay has gone thought tough situations. Some may say that the base is a waste of money and time, but as the saying says; keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/htmpgs/gtmohistory.htm

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