It’s difficult to imagine, but US Fifth Fleet might soon be… homeless. Strategy Page has the story:
The United States is quietly looking for another country, on the west coast of the Persian Gulf, to host an American naval base. This is because months of political unrest in Bahrain has put the American base there in danger. So the U.S. Navy is looking at the possibility, and cost, of moving the Bahrain base to Dubai or Qatar. The navy is not happy about making the move, as it would be expensive and disruptive. But if the unrest in Bahrain continues, and escalates, there may be no choice.
I’m picturing an admiral on the streets of some dusty Arab town, holding up a sign saying “Will protect shipping lanes for shelter.”
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Shouldn’t these countries be paying for their own shipping lane protection? There’s only a couple of gazillion barrels of oil coming through on a regular basis – I’m kinda sure the various sheiks could cut down just a hair on their acquisition of diamond-encrusted Mercedes and take a break in their “world’s biggest tower” competitions and, you know, take care of their own f’ing business.
Barbed wire. Double walls. Marines with live loads and loads of other goodies. Who cares about political unrest? You want us out? Make us get out. Make my day.
Or simply explain how much money America spends in Bahrain for the base. Tell the people how much money they personally would lose if we leave.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this announcement isn’t part of that strategy. The Navy has played hardball before.
Back in the ’90′s the Navy wanted to build high-rise barracks on the base in Bremerton. Initially the town said no, they didn’t want their skyline disrupted. This was during the Clinton draw-down and at the time there were two nuclear shipyards on the west coast: PSNS in Bremerton and LBNS in Long Beach, CA. So the Navy started asking PSNS workers if they’d be willing to relocate down the coast. Lo and behold permission was granted to build the high-rises (the upper portions are painted a beautiful sky blue) and LBNS shut down.
I’mna thinking somewhere on the west coast of India. Close enough for government work, knowwhatImean? nudgenudgewinkwink? Islam is incompatible with Western Civ. Believe what you read in the Koran, they do.
I could see negotiating a move if a new government came in that wanted to end our lease. But how exactly is street violence a threat to a major military installation? Isn’t the Navy better armed?
Guantanamo Bay may be more remote, in local terms, than the Fifth Fleet’s base in Bahrain, but it’s also in a country overtly hostile to the U.S. — imagine if the Fifth Fleet were home-ported on the Iranian coast — but it’s been there despite the Castro regime for over 50 years.
I think the fleet will end up staying put in Bahrain.