Bases, Foreign

Following the Second World War, the United States dramatically expanded its overseas military presence, creating a global network of bases in dozens of countries around the globe. This projection of American power served to counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union and, later, the People’s Republic of China. Following the end of the Cold War, the United States closed a number of bases, especially in Europe and the Philippines. U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf War, and the more recent conflict in Afghanistan, however, led to a significant expansion of the American presence in the Middle East and Central Asia. The end of U.S. involvement in Iraq and a diminishing role in Afghanistan, however, are combining with mounting fiscal constraints to drive a continuing ...