Why do we have military bases all over the world and other countries

[aprilgirl]

can't have military bases in this hemisphere? I don't get it. We even have a base in Cuba. How or why does the rest of the world permit this? Are we really the military for the entire world? Someone please explain. Now we are going to place military bases in Iraq and other Arab countries. Isn't that what caused Osama to come after us in the first place...our troops in Saudi Arabia?

[Baclava]

1. Mo better hos

Blame it on diz biatches that jizzle the shizzle fo nizzle.

[mmonk]

2. Recognition is the first step

to understanding. It's good you noticed.

[KissMyAsscroft]

3. Because we run the world, silly!

We are god's chosen people!

[lucidmadman]

4. It's the 'stick' that goes along with...

...the 'carrot' in the form of loans from the IMF/World Bank to the puppet governments we set up.
It's, of course, a little more complicated than this, but this is the basic deal.

[mulethree]

5. because we can

roughly 700 foreign bases in 60+ countries.

Some, like cuba, japan, germany are because we won some war and made the bases - essentially - part of the conditions of surrender.

They come in pretty handy like guantanamo Cuba since we can do lots of nasty illegal stuff to people and claim that it isn't illegal since its not in the US. Of course they don't follow Cuban laws either ....

Others we get as "conditions". Yes we will protect you from the Soviets, but you will have to sign this nasty contract that gives us a base, exempts us from your laws and environmental regulations, and which you will never be able to cancel.

Some are "Forward Operation Bases" Like bases in Kuwait and Quatar where we park thousands of tanks. Yes those really piss Osama off since they betray our intentions to need thousands of tanks in the Middle east again in the future for our next "regime change"

Others have no good use, the military used to think up some silly reason or another just to keep them from getting closed. But in recent times just "global Presence" or "Power Projection" have been good enough. Just to remind the locals that Uncle Sam is still watching and can blow them all up anytime they get out of line. You know, like trying to elect someone not on the approved list, or trying to keep their profits for themselves instead of using one of the approved us&allies corporations.

Edit for spell check - hmm spell check not working! OMG primitive 20th century manual spell checking! yuck

[Jade Fox]

6. Read Chalmers Johnson's book "The Sorrows of Empire" n/t

[kiahzero]

7. Many reasons

Some are holdovers from the Cold War, when allied countries let us have bases in their territory to protect them from the USSR. Others are essentially remnants of former occupations, such as those in Germany or Japan (neither of which want us out any time soon).

The rest of the world permits it because it's in most countries best interest to have US military bases on their territory. Not only for protection, but also for the economic benefits.

[RichM]

8. These bases are very handy for controlling people & killing anyone who

doesn't do exactly what we say. Sometimes, we don't even have to kill them, because they know the bases are there, and they know what will happen if they aren't properly obedient.

I hope this explanation is helpful.

[KG]

9. coz the militarys #1 mission is to protect US corporate assets abroad.

that defending america and freedom stuff? a secondary duty.

[aprilgirl]

10. Thanks!

It does make sense.