[A-List] US EUCOM/NATO Commander Moving 'Forward Engagement Bases' East, South

[Rick Rozoff]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=20844

Stars And Stripes
March 6, 2004

Jones: Search for new EUCOM bases progressing 
By Sandra Jontz


-Countries in Eastern Europe and Africa have expressed
interest in accommodating the U.S. expeditionary
bases, sometimes called “lily pads.”
But [Jones] declined to provide details to the
committee, saying “the footprint of the U.S. force
will be announced in due time.”
He said he is giving “great attention” to African
nations because many provide adequate land, air and
seas space for training. 
-On the training front, Jones mentioned Morocco, which
is offering a range for naval training en par with
what the Navy had on the Puerto Rican island of
Vieques.... 



WASHINGTON — U.S. military leaders in Europe have made
progress seeking out forward locations in Eastern
Europe and Africa, both for training and to be
well-placed for contingency operations, Gen. James
Jones, commander of U.S. European Command, told
Congress on Wednesday.

Jones told the Senate Armed Services Committee several
model sites have emerged in the effort to reduce the
U.S. footprint in Europe.

Jones lauded the potential installations for their
infrastructure and wide-open spaces, where
“urbanization is not coming to our door step,” he told
the committee. Countries in Eastern Europe and Africa
have expressed interest in accommodating the U.S.
expeditionary bases, sometimes called “lily pads.”

But he declined to provide details to the committee,
saying “the footprint of the U.S. force will be
announced in due time.”

He said he is giving “great attention” to African
nations because many provide adequate land, air and
seas space for training. They also put U.S. forces in
a better position to react to terrorist organizations,
which are gaining footholds in the less-stable nations
there.

On the training front, Jones mentioned Morocco, which
is offering a range for naval training en par with
what the Navy had on the Puerto Rican island of
Vieques, Jones said.

In April 1999, the Navy ceased dropping bombs on the
island and has done limited live-fire training in the
Gulf of Mexico, Navy officials said.

Jones, who also serves as NATO’s supreme allied
commander, said he has started work on creating an
intelligence center among the NATO partners to “bridge
the gap and fuse the shortfall” in human
intelligence-sharing. Currently, 19 countries make up
NATO. It will expand to 26 later this year.

The idea piqued the interest of committee chairman
Sen. John Warner, R-Va., who told Jones: “you’ll get a
lot of support for that and maybe even a little
money.”

And money was the hot issue for some senators who
addressed questions to Gen. John Abizaid, commander of
U.S. Central Command.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., expressed frustration
over differing versions of time lines and funding
problems posed by Army and Pentagon leaders on efforts
to get more up-armored Humvees and fortifying kits
into Iraq, and asked Abizaid to pledge to do his best
to not only quickly equip the troops, but get extra
money if he needed it.

Abizaid told Kennedy he doesn’t control Army funding
plans to buy more of the Humvees.

“Well then, will you promise to tell us if you’re not
getting the funding?” Kennedy asked.

“I will,” Abizaid pledged.

For Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., retention was the
issue. He said he is hearing from families of
activated guardsmen and reservists threats of a mass
exodus of their service once they return home.

“I think we’ll pay a very heavy price,” McCain said.

But Abizaid said he routinely seeks feedback from the
ground forces, and has a different impression.

“We should be concerned about the long-term effect on
the guard, reserve and even the active force,” Abizaid
said. “I haven’t detected from them the warning signs
they’re going to leave in large numbers.” 


 


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