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Report: U.S. seeks permanent deal to base troops in Spain

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Report: U.S. seeks permanent deal to base troops in Spain
By Hope Hodge Seck, Staff Writer 10:15 a.m. EST January 9, 2015

The Defense Department is seeking an agreement that would allow Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa to be permanently stationed in Morón, Spain, according to a report from the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

The Jan. 5 story cites a December letter from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to unnamed Spanish officials asking for a redraft of the current year-to-year agreement. If approved, the paper reported, the new agreement would pave the way for as many as 3,000 U.S. troops to be stationed at Morón Air Base, in the southern region of Andalusia, which now houses the task force.

Air Force Lt. Col. Vanessa Hillman, A spokeswoman for the office of the defense secretary, would not confirm nor deny the existence of the letter.

"We have nothing new to release on Spain at this time," she said.

The U.S. has used the base through a bilateral agreement since the 1950s.

The most recent update to this treaty for the Marine Corps was the Spanish government's March 2014 decision to allow an additional 300 Marines to be based in Morón, bringing total task force strength to 850. That decision also extended the unit's presence on the base for another year.

El Pais reports that the current agreement is due to expire in April, meaning the Marines must move if terms cannot be reached in the reported negotiations.

The last rotation of SP-MAGTF-CR-AF, led by 8th Marine Regiment, assisted in the creation of three austere staging locations in West Africa — Senegal, Ghana and Gabon — designed to allow Marines with the unit to preposition in the event of an impending crisis. But the locations lack the infrastructure needed to house troops long-term.

Other Marine brass have cited the possibility of establishing a more substantial base on the continent.

Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer, deputy to the commander for military operations in U.S. Africa Command, told Marine Corps Times in 2014 that the Marines were examining the merits of forward-basing crisis response Marines in an African host nation, which would bring with it the benefit of being significantly closer to potential crises.

U.S. Africa Command officials have said discussion of future Africa bases is predecisional.
 
Highly unlikely, the next government in Spain will likely be socialist and they will not agree to that.
 
Highly unlikely, the next government in Spain will likely be socialist and they will not agree to that.

Already there is United states base in ROTA

map-spain_gibraltar_rota.gif
 
Of course they can refuse, a permanent presence is a big deal, that being said, they can make it for 3-5 years rather than 1 year, that would be ok.

Spain is an ally, and while it has had great military moments in its life, the prospect of getting US military space and earning revenue will not be something that Spain would refuse.

Either it will be revenue or something in kind.

NATO commitments will not let them refuse. Don't get me wrong.
 
Spain is an ally, and while it has had great military moments in its life, the prospect of getting US military space and earning revenue will not be something that Spain would refuse.

Either it will be revenue or something in kind.

NATO commitments will not let them refuse. Don't get me wrong.

No, no NATO member has an obligation to permanent deals, its up to the host country.
Spain already host other american forces, its doing its commitments, but permanent basing is not an obligation. The revenue from that is insignificant. Its a non issue.
 
No, no NATO member has an obligation to permanent deals, its up to the host country.
Spain already host other american forces, its doing its commitments, but permanent basing is not an obligation. The revenue from that is insignificant. Its a non issue.

Spain is an EU nation after all.When it comes to US they will just obey their demands.US snooped the phone of German Chancellor .But till now they couldnt even take it to the serious level.

If they demand for a permanent base ,Spain dont have any choice.
 
Spain is an EU nation after all.When it comes to US they will just obey their demands.US snooped the phone of German Chancellor .But till now they couldnt even take it to the serious level.

If they demand for a permanent base ,Spain dont have any choice.

Germany is still bound by post-WW2 treaties making it as dependent on USA as it was.

While it is an industrial powerhouse, cultural centre and engineering excellence, sadly they just aren't independent.

NATO bindings have simply tied them down.

If France and UK who are strategic global powers, are unable to field alternates to US, Germany and Spain don't stand a chance.
 
Spain is an EU nation after all.When it comes to US they will just obey their demands.US snooped the phone of German Chancellor .But till now they couldnt even take it to the serious level.

If they demand for a permanent base ,Spain dont have any choice.

Sorry but Spain is an independent country and it will do as it wishes, there is no such thing as not having a choice, otherwise why do you think that treaty gets renewed every year.

Spain is not in the situation of Germany, that was defeated and is bound to those conditions by treaty.

The US needs those bases, Spain on the other hand does not need those american forces there, its the US that has a need, not Spain.
 
Sorry but Spain is an independent country and it will do as it wishes, there is no such thing as not having a choice, otherwise why do you think that treaty gets renewed every year.

Spain is not in the situation of Germany, that was defeated and is bound to those conditions by treaty.

The US needs those bases, Spain on the other hand does not need those american forces there, its the US that has a need, not Spain.


Bro.Germans are the real kingmakers of EU.Not Spain.You are right Spain is an independant nation.
But diplomatic dealings of US and EU is quite different the US and other nations.
If US is aimed for a base like that they dont try to oppose it.Otherwise they will feel diplomatic offensive.
Japan is also an ally of US.But a few years ago I have read a news that US insult Japanese Premier by some actions when there was a friction between them.
US will do any type of shit like that.

When those diplomatic case arised in last year Indo -US relation was in top peak.But they didnt have any hesitation to insult our women diplomat.That is real US way.Always test others resilience,diplomatic and reactive strength.The real intention of US was to test Indias reaction.

So if Spain try to oppose these proposal they will embarass their nation in any way.
 

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