Bases, Bases Everywhere

The news that the House of Representatives had just voted 399 to 24 to bar permanent military bases in Iraq sounded too good to be true.

And indeed it was (too good to be true)…and it ain’t true….but it’s tricky

Here’s the deal….

The bill blocks the establishment of new bases, ie, bases not yet constructed, but it says nothing about dismantling those bases already built

It prohibits ONLY those bases whos purpose is for the permanent stationing of US troops, but there are ways for the Bush Administration to get around that. It can simply declare that the troops are temporary or rotating or anything `less than an official permanent deployment’ as Phyllis Bennis and Norman Solomon point out.

Finally the bill says nothing about decommissioning existing military bases in Iraq.

For a more detailed analysis of this latest peace mirage, read Norman Solomon’s article from Alternet. (click here for the text)