From: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Expanding US Military Presence From Caspian To Arabian Seas [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/100102/dlfor05.asp "There is great value, for instance, in continuing to build air fields in a variety of locations on the perimeter of Afghanistan that over time can do a variety of functions, like combat operations...." - Rear Admiral Craig Quigley "The Pentagon...has also approved a request by Gen Tommy R. Franks, the commander of the military operation in Afghanistan, to station two aircraft carriers and thousands of marines aboard ships in the northern Arabian sea through March." Hindustan Times January 10, 2002 US preparing military presence in central Asia Dharam Shourie (PTI) New York, January 9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- With the air war in Afghanistan waning and American-backed forces hunting down pockets of Al-Qaeda and Taliban resistance there, the United States is preparing a military presence in central Asia that could last for years, US military officials have said. The United States and its allies are building an air base in Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, that the commander of the military campaign in Afghanistan described last week as a "transportation hub" to house up to 3,000 troops and accommodate warplanes and support aircraft. Engineers are also improving runways, lighting, communications, storage and housing at bases in Uzbekistan and Pakistan where American forces are stationed, signalling a long-term commitment, or at least the ability to re-deploy forces quickly, The New York Times said on Wednesday quoting US military officials. "The job is still not done," Rear Admiral Craig R Quigley, senior spokesman at the United States central command in Tampa, Florida, was quoted as saying. "There is great value, for instance, in continuing to build air fields in a variety of locations on the perimeter of Afghanistan that over time can do a variety of functions, like combat operations, medical evacuation and delivering humanitarian assistance," he said. The Pentagon, the paper said, has also approved a request by Gen Tommy R Franks, the commander of the military operation in Afghanistan, to station two aircraft carriers and thousands of marines aboard ships in the northern Arabian sea through March. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
