When will the US withdraw it's foreign bases and make defense budget cuts?

When will the US withdraw it's foreign bases? I mean with Obama making so many cuts on many of the national budget I'm sure it won't be long before he ended up cutting the defense budget by shutting down some bases.In addition I can imagine him reducing the size of the US navy and Army .

reply to post by starwarsisreal


The USA will never willingly take away their foreign bases. It serves as a deterrence/ intimidation factor. And it also aids them because if fighting between a country and the USA were to break out, the US already has personnel and supplies elsewhere, ready for use.

Not saying I agree or disagree, because I am sure there are reasons for which none of us know, BUT I do sometimes wonder if some of the world would crumble without the US's "invasive" presence.

Originally posted by RustyShakleford92
reply to post by starwarsisreal

 

The USA will never willingly take away their foreign bases. It serves as a deterrence/ intimidation factor. And it also aids them because if fighting between a country and the USA were to break out, the US already has personnel and supplies elsewhere, ready for use.

Not saying I agree or disagree, because I am sure there are reasons for which none of us know, BUT I do sometimes wonder if some of the world would crumble without the US's "invasive" presence.

While I kind of agreed with you but think about it It won't be long before the government decided that the have no choice but to shut it down due to pressures from home and above. Plus another reason would be using more troops to stop civil unrest

Originally posted by starwarsisreal
When will the US withdraw it's foreign bases? I mean with Obama making so many cuts on many of the national budget I'm sure it won't be long before he ended up cutting the defense budget by shutting down some bases.In addition I can imagine him reducing the size of the US navy and Army .

The day the US believes it has enough power to control countries from space? Power is everything and I believe that once one has enough power to control the world money will be irrelevant.

The American government would quite willingly see millions sleeping rough on the streets as long as it meant that they could keep their military bases abroad. Considering that it only takes a few nuclear missiles to end any war that may occur, and that those could easily be launched from a base on American soil to hit anywhere in the world, you have to wonder why its so important to keep American servicemen on foreign soil? maybe its to intimidate Johhny foreigner?
Wouldn't it be ironic if another super power, say China, invaded America and took it over because the bulk of its armed forces were sat idle on bases abroad!?

The military industry played its cards very intelligently.

They are an important source of labor and investment in practically every voting district of the U.S. It is practically political suicide for any member of government to vote against supporting these industries.

Because of the way the whole "game" is set-up, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on any cuts in the defense budget.

The same is true for foreign bases. On principle, many citizens object to the presence of foreign troops on their soil, as would I. But from a purely pragmatic point of view, that is a heck of a lot of disposable income that comes along with them.

the Billmeister

Depends whether they can get the Chinese to take over the leases I guess - can't see Gitmo going back to Cuba any time soon .....

Seriously tho - it pretty much depends on the politics in eth "host" countries - if htey feel threatened by someone (such as china, Iran, ill defined islamic terrorism) they tend to be keen to let the US have bases for a while....until things change.

the US mean time is ken to maintain a presence a super power to get "things" its own way through "influence" &- which includes both "we will protect you" and giving away vast amounts of money.

I think that as Chinese power increases you are likely to see fewer base closures in asia - if hte PRC attacks Taiwan in any way, for example, the good people of Okinawa might stop being so antsey about the US bases there.

There's also the question of soverignty - many people are offended that US bases come with US sovereignty and the associated personnel are not subject to local laws - it smacks of hte unequal treaties of the 19th century and is particularly obnoxious in Asia.

So lots of conflicting influences go into the pot.

But likely the main one will be economics - as you pointed out the US is spending a fortune on its military adventures & is possibly technically bankrupt - it might owes more than it can possibly pay back!

reply to post by AeonStorm


I'm not buying that though because those in Power knows that if food prices skyrocket then then will have to withdraw the troops overseas whether they like or not to focus on internal security. And I'm not sure if Obama is willing to fund the Space weapons program due to him cutting the Science budget

reply to post by Billmeister


then an Egyptian style Riots will take care of that. Just recently Puerto Rico has it's own riots and that's was even US territory

Never ! You know why ? Because the US politicians @#$ theirs pants afraid of the military.

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul


China will on a turmoil, sooner or later she experience her own uprisings due to high food and oil prices rising

guymcpherson.com... (read whole thing)

Originally posted by CholmondleyWarner
Considering that it only takes a few nuclear missiles to end any war that may occur, and that those could easily be launched from a base on American soil to hit anywhere in the world, you have to wonder why its so important to keep American servicemen on foreign soil?

Last time nukes were used was 1945. Wars have been conventional, so bases would be needed overseas for "force projection".

Originally posted by CholmondleyWarner
Wouldn't it be ironic if another super power, say China, invaded America and took it over because the bulk of its armed forces were sat idle on bases abroad!?

Originally posted by RustyShakleford92
reply to post by starwarsisreal

 

The USA will never willingly take away their foreign bases. It serves as a deterrence/ intimidation factor. And it also aids them because if fighting between a country and the USA were to break out, the US already has personnel and supplies elsewhere, ready for use.

Not saying I agree or disagree, because I am sure there are reasons for which none of us know, BUT I do sometimes wonder if some of the world would crumble without the US's "invasive" presence.

The US has a lot less overseas bases than there used to be, there lots of places where the US Air Force, Navy, marines or Army had a base, that have since been left.

Now there are still some bases left, and I do think more of those should be closed too. But those who act like the US has more forces overseas than ever before, are quite mistaken.