Military publication Jane’s analyzed the situation of the U.S. Air Base in Manta, Ecuador which will likely be vacated in 2009. In the article posted online yesterday, Air Force Southern commander Lt. General Norman Seip speculated on the future of U.S. military bases in the Americas: Gen Seip said the USAF (U.S. Air Force) is unlikely to build another large base in the region like Manta because Latin American countries often view any US presence as an impingement on their sovereignty.
He added that in the future USAF activities in Latin America would centre on the establishment of small, temporary, forward operating locations. He also said the air force is planning to develop regional partnerships to ensure Latin American countries have the military assets they need to monitor ungoverned space, which can become havens for terrorism and drug trafficking.
Ecuador’s government has been reluctant to renew the U.S. military’s lease to run the Manta base and this has led to uncertainty over who will control the station. The U.S. has recently upped its military presence in Paraguay while the Peruvian government has denied permission to house a major U.S. base.
Image- Washington Post
Sources- Jane’s, The Latin Americanist, The Nation, Prensa Latina
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