Army brass pleads for more overseas bases.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Army leaders are unhappy with base-closure laws that require that 94 percent of its combat units be based in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. by 2011. The upshot will be an Army that cannot quickly respond to contingencies Contingencies (ISSN 1048-9851) is the bimonthly magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries, providing a large and diverse readership with general interest and technical articles on a wide range of issues related to the actuarial profession. , says Gen. David McKiernan, commander of Army forces in Europe Europe (y  r`əp), 6th largest continent, c.4,000,000 sq mi (10,360,000 sq km) including adjacent islands (1992 est. pop. 512,000,000). . "If
you want to have an Army that is expeditionary ex·pe·di·tion·ar·y adj. 1. Relating to or constituting an expedition. 2. Sent on or designed for military operations abroad: the French expeditionary force in Indochina. Adj. 1. , that can work with other countries, has cultural appreciation of other countries, that can develop language skills, it's very difficult to do when forces are in the United States," he says. "If there are requirements to support operations in Africa, where do forces come from? If you are positioned in Europe, you're better able to respond than if you were in Kansas." Email your comments to SErwin@ndia.org |
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