Article

2004-02-08 Europe

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Posted by Super Hose 2004-02-08 2:23:32 PM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I do wonder, however, about the commitment Spain has to us in the long-term. Azner has been great and his groomed favorite to succeed him looks as if he'll continue the same policies. But the Left in Spain is fairly strong, and I'm worried that if the Socialists ever come to power we'll find our facilities in Rota either hamstrung or closed.

Why can't we sub-lease Gibraltar?

Posted by Steve White 2004-2-8 3:53:23 PM|| 2004-2-8 3:53:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Sub-lease Gibraltar? Yes that would really annoy the Spanish. Does Gibraltar have the required facilities?

Posted by A 2004-2-8 4:10:29 PM|| 2004-2-8 4:10:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Turkey refused to let us use Incirlik Air Base during the invasion of Iraq last year (idling nearly a hundred British and American strike aircraft IIRC). Because of that, I think the US would be foolish to make new plans to base large forces in Turkey. And at this point, I don't think it would make strategic sense to base the Sixth Fleet in the eastern Med.

I wonder whether part of the purpose of moving to Rota would be to put 6th Fleet in better position to work in the Atlantic both north and south, so that other Atlantic assets could be redeployed elsewhere (for instance to beef up the Fifth Fleet in the Gulf, or the Seventh Fleet in Malaysia). This would be consistent with the larger force redeployment in process, which is also reducing USAF and USArmy deployments in Europe and the Med so as to increase our strength in Asia.

(By the way, Lasalle is a command ship (AGF), not a carrier (CV).)

Posted by Steven Den Beste 2004-2-8 5:09:39 PM|| [http://denbeste.nu] 2004-2-8 5:09:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 SDB, I remember the Southern nature of the through traffic lane through the Mediterranean making a stop off to Italy being inconvenient. Gaeta is not really a base for much more that the fleet flag ship.
The idea that the location of Cadiz allows for deployment towards Liberia an other hot-spots is a valid one. With the latest developments of nukes being proliferated through throughout the world, monitoring shipping throughout the Med has become more important. Rota could base P-3 or AWACS flights. Gilbraltar is also an excellent choke point for monitoring or intercepting surface traffic.
Basing at Gilbraltar or Malta would cause a logistical problems. For example, Gitmo makes an excellent jail but is a poor base to foward deploy through. I thought Roosevelt Roads was an excellent base to have. Others, who know more, thought differently.
It will be interesting to see whether Mumu offers up a naval base. I have heard tell that he is awfully impressed with the performacne of the F-14.

Posted by Super Hose 2004-2-8 7:22:25 PM|| 2004-2-8 7:22:25 PM|| Front Page Top

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