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2002-11-19 East/Subsaharan Africa

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Posted by Steve 2002-11-19 11:28 am|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I imagine they would "happily host a U.S. base." They're talking big time bucks for that area of the world.

Posted by Fred 2002-11-19 11:50:17|| 2002-11-19 11:50:17|| Front Page Top

#2 Would be nice too if we made sure that the funds made their way to real improvements for the whole country (i.ee.: hospitals, schools, infrastructure) rather than lining some warlords' pocket.

Posted by Frank G 2002-11-19 14:06:12|| 2002-11-19 14:06:12|| Front Page Top

#3 Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Eritrea a semi-democracy? That won't stop the kleptos from lining their pockets (exhibit 1A, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos), but I should think one could build in some safeguards for how the money is spent. Heck, make part of the bargin that the Corps of Engineerings has to do one improvement project for the country for every three projects they do for a new military base in Assab. That'll get things moving!

Posted by Steve White 2002-11-19 14:21:30|| 2002-11-19 14:21:30|| Front Page Top

#4 More than money,Eritreans want U.S. to keep their former bosses the Ethiopians at arm's length.Eritrea and Ethiopia have continuous border disagreements (=Ethiopia thinks the border should be the Red Sea).

Posted by El Id 2002-11-19 16:12:51|| 2002-11-19 16:12:51|| Front Page Top

#5 Take out a map of the area and draw a circle using the 1000 mile range, you geta clear idea why this is a great base.

The eritrean governemnt has two choices, sell us a 99 year lease, or we throw them out and install our own government, who will then sell us a lease to the harbor. Dont think we'd do that? ask the folks in panama if can and will do just exactly that.

just call it guantanamo east.

Posted by Frank Martin 2002-11-19 16:23:35|| [varifrank.blogspot.com] 2002-11-19 16:23:35|| Front Page Top

#6 What goes around comes around. Asmara, the Eritrean capitol formerly hosted a US military base called Kagnew Station, so they certainly know the value of the American $$.

http://www.kagnewstation.com/

Posted by Mike M 2002-11-19 17:18:49|| 2002-11-19 17:18:49|| Front Page Top

#7 How coincidental. Woodward's book, US spending $70 million in bribes in Afghanistan, and now we have big smiles and lots of ports in the Horn. Wonder what the price would be to "buy" Iraq from Sammy?

Posted by Jack 2002-11-20 04:57:01|| 2002-11-20 04:57:01|| Front Page Top

#8 That is no joke, Jack. The US could buy the entire Persian Gulf. Buying the Afghan warlords was a pragmatic approach to speeding the resolution of that war. The judicious use of bribes is an art that US diplomats need to perfect.

Posted by RB 2002-11-20 10:40:05|| 2002-11-20 10:40:05|| Front Page Top

10:40 RB
10:11 Frank Martin
09:59 Don
09:45 Aracona
08:33 Ptah
08:31 Ptah
05:32 Jack
04:57 Jack
04:53 Jack
04:49 Jack
23:19 Lexicon
22:57 Lexicon
20:33 Anna
20:22 ptah
19:23 Ptah
19:00 Tripartite
18:46 Anonymous
17:18 Mike M
16:56 CGeib
16:29 Frank G
16:23 Frank Martin
16:19 Frank Martin
16:12 El Id
16:05 mojo