US base in Bahrain to double size
\nBy ADAM GONN – Published: May 28, 2010 00:27 Updated: May 28, 2010 00:27<\/p>\n
MANAMA: Amid regional turmoil, a US naval base in the Gulf is set for major expansion.<\/p>\n
Ground has been broken at the American naval base in Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, for a $580 million expansion that is estimated to take five years to complete, the US Navy said in a press statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaval Support Activity Bahrain continues to grow to better support ongoing operations around the region,\u201d said Capt. Enrique Sadsad, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Bahrain. \u201cThis expansion project will not only enhance our ability to support our tenant commands and their mission, whether that be logistics, aviation, theater security, or surface operational support,\u201d Sadsad continued.<\/p>\n
\u201c(The) US navy and its allies carry out many maneuvers annually with navies from the region. With these exercises, plus the expected conflict, the new base is more ideal,\u201d defense consultant Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Musa Qallab, told The Media Line. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems the US navy needs better infrastructure in order to fully fulfill the requirement it has for its operations, the new naval base, the US navy and its allies for decades,\u201d Qallab said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegarding the reaction of Iran,\u201d he continued. \u201cThey will not accept this provocation. Iran sees Gulf security as something for the Gulf countries and not for foreign countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mustafa Alani, senior adviser and director of terrorism studies at the Gulf Research Center in the UAE, told The Media Line that the expansions were part of a natural process since the base in more than four decades old. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s actually not forced by political development or changes in the security environment,\u201d Alani said. \u201cIt\u2019s forced by the need, because you have to remember this base was established more than 40 years ago. There is a natural expansion; there is a need to expand the building and the space,\u201d he said. …more<\/a><\/p>\n