I agree interventions are complex but at the sametime you have to recognize how fundamentally different the role US troops are playing in Iraq as compared to in Germany or Japan. To compare the two is apples and oranges.
Really fascinating stuff. I've enjoyed looking into that period as well. Anyone who thinks we weren't on an expansionist binge back then should buy this bridge I'll have one of my kids build in the backyard. Cheap! Glad you're back from your hiatus, Hayes. Keep D&D Civil.
That's not relevant to statements of Saint Louis that I am contesting. Obviously there was a long time between buying and leaving. Some bad stuff happened. None of that is a rejoinder to my point. He claimed we'd invaded and never left the countries of Kuwait, South Korea, the Philippines, and Cuba - among others. Even setting aside the 'they weren't countries' part of the argument - we didn't invade either Kuwait or South Korea AT ALL and we aren't still in the Philippines or Cuba (hence contradicting the 'never left' part).
Without getting a more full description of what you are saying I can't tell one way or the other. Initially the missions in German and Japanese territory was pretty much the same - remove the leadership structure, stabilize the territory, then reconstruction. That grew into a larger security framework in light of the Cold War, as could happen as a larger security framework with bases in Iraq in light of the post Cold War world. Even if there had not been a Cold War, it is likely the US would have had a presence in Germany and Japan longer than we've been in Iraq. Hence while I'd agree WWII and the Iraq intervention have many dissimilar variables, there is a point to be considered that is relevant when criticizing the length of our intervention in Iraq in light of 'other' interventions (extending back certainly to WWII). Not sure why you'd think this when during that period TR wasn't really an expansionist. He was full bore for Cuban independence. While there was expansionist sentiment with McKinley, there was significant opposition and with the exception of Hawaii, IIRC, we aren't still holding those 'fruits' of the Spanish-American War. Even though we paid for them by treaty with Spain. As such I fail to find any of this convincing proof of Saint Louis's assertions. Thank you, kind sir.
I meant that the U.S. military never left. We still maintain military installations in those countries. Grant it the one is Cuba has no control over the island. We use these countries as bases to spread American power around the globe. Iraq is just the U.S. militarys latest base acquisition. I still think eventually Cuba will return to America's sphere of influence; it just hasn't happend yet because Castro seems to be going for triple digits in age.
I guess I was thinking back to when that volcano erupted in the Phillipines. Man time flies. Here is a current list of overseas military installation our country maintains. These are the "official" installations. You won't find Kuwait, Afghanstan, Uzbekistan or Iraq on the list. Bahrain NSA Bahrain Belgium NATO-Brussels, Belgium SHAPE-Chievres, Belgium Cuba NS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Diego Garcia NSF Diego Garcia Germany Ansbach, Germany Bad Aibling, Germany Bad Kreuznach, Germany Bamberg, Germany Baumholder, Germany Darmstadt, Germany Friedberg, Germany Garmisch, Germany Geilenkirchen AB, Germany Giebelstadt, Germany Grafenwoehr, Germany Hanau, Germany Heidelberg, Germany Hohenfels, Germany Illesheim, Germany Kaiserslautern, Germany Kitzingen, Germany Mannheim, Germany Ramstein AB, Germany Rhein-Main AB, Germany Schweinfurt, Germany Spangdahlem AB, Germany Stuttgart, Germany US Army Europe, Germany Vilseck, Germany Wiesbaden/Mainz, Germany Wuerzburg, Germany Greece NSA Souda Bay, Greece Iceland NAS Keflavik, Iceland Italy Aviano AB, Italy Livorno, Italy NAS Sigonnella, Italy NSA Gaeta, Italy NSA La Maddalena, Italy NSA Naples, Italy Vicenza, Italy Japan Camp S.D. Butler, Japan Camp Zama, Japan FLTACT Sasebo, Japan Kadena AB, Japan MCAS Iwakuni, Japan Misawa AB, Japan NAF Atsugi, Japan Torii Station, Japan Yokosuka, Japan Yokota AB, Japan Korea COMFLEACTS Chinhae, South Korea Camp Casey, South Korea Camp Henry, South Korea Camp Hialeah, South Korea Camp Humphreys, South Korea Kunsan AB, South Korea Osan AB, South Korea Yongsan, Korea Netherland Schinnen, Netherlands Portugal Lajes Field, Portugal Puerto Rico Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico Saudi Arabia US Mil Training Mission, Saudi Arabia South Korea COMFLEACTS Chinhae, South Korea Camp Casey, South Korea Camp Henry, South Korea Camp Hialeah, South Korea Camp Humphreys, South Korea Kunsan AB, South Korea Osan AB, South Korea Spain NS Rota, Spain Turkey Incirlik AB, Turkey Izmir AB, Turkey UK JMF St. Mawgan, UK Luke AFB, AZ RAF Lakenheath, UK RAF Menwith Hill, UK RAF Mildenhall, UK RAF Molesworth, UK US Naval Activities, London UK Yokosuka, Japan
