From Italy to the Indian Ocean, from Japan to Honduras, a far-reaching examination of the perils of American military bases overseas American military bases encircle the globe. More than two decades after the end of the Cold War, the U.S. still stations its troops at nearly a thousand locations in foreign lands. These bases are usually taken for granted or overlooked entirely, a little-noticed part of the Pentagon's vast operations. But in an eye-opening account, Base Nation shows that the worldwide network of bases brings with it a panoply of ills - and actually makes the nation less safe in the long run.
David Vine is the author of "Island of Shame: The Secret History of
the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia" and an associate professor
of anthropology at American University in Washington, D.C. His
writing has appeared in "The New York Times," "The Washington
Post," "The Guardian," "Mother Jones," and "The Chronicle of Higher
Education," among other publications. He lives in Washington,
D.C.
A WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER"A useful call to examine a question
that gets far less attention than it merits... An entreaty for an
explanation, a discussion in plain language, about what the U.S.
military is doing in so many places in the world and why."
--The Washington Post"U.S. national security policy rests on the
assertion that 'forward presence' contributes directly to global
peace and security. In this powerful book, David Vine examines,
dismantles, and disproves that claim. He demonstrates that
America's sprawling network of overseas bases imposes costs--not
only financial but also political, environmental, and moral--that
far exceed what the Pentagon is prepared to acknowledge. Base
Nation offers a devastating critique, and no doubt Washington will
try to ignore it. Citizens should refuse to let that happen."
--Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Limits of Power and Breach of
Trust"Who knew that we have more than eight hundred bases around
the world? And what do our troops do there when they're not busy
intruding into other people's conflicts? Such questions lie at the
heart of David Vine's remarkable, impeccably written, and
clearheaded analysis of the costly madness that is America's
current colonial-military complex. His book is a marvel, and all in
power should read it."
--Simon Winchester, author of Atlantic and The Men Who United the
States"Just looking at the maps in David Vine's thoroughly
documented Base Nation will give you the chills--and seduce you
into reading the book. He's performed a kind of modern day treasure
hunt, finding and displaying our military forces all over the
globe, and then thinking deeply about whether their far-flung
presence will achieve or undermine the goal of fostering a peaceful
and prosperous world."
--Dana Priest, coauthor of Top Secret America"While I may not share
all of David Vine's conclusions, Base Nation amply demonstrates
what a growing number of people across the political spectrum are
concluding: the foundation of our military belongs right here on
American soil. In the U.S. Senate, I pushed for greater investment
in our bases here at home where our forces have greater
unrestricted training opportunities and can rapidly deploy
worldwide better prepared for combat. Pentagon officials and
members of Congress should pay close attention to Vine's arguments
in favor of reducing our foreign presence in the interest of
strengthening the future security posture of U.S. military forces
and the fiscal health of our nation."
--Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. senator (R-TX) and chair of the
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Military Construction
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