May 3, 200520 yr U.S. May Use Spanish Base for Special Forces Report By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, MADRID DefenseNews The United States is considering a plan to concentrate its special forces units in Europe, which currently are scattered across the continent, at its base at Rota, southern Spain, the El Pais newspaper reported May 2. Right now, U.S. Marine, Army and Air Force special forces units are stationed in Britain, Germany and Italy. A possible regrouping of the forces at Rota could be discussed during a visit by Spanish Defense Minister Jose Bono to the United States this week, his first since the Socialist government came to office in 2004 and pulled its forces out of Iraq. He is due to meet U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington on May 3. According to El Pais, U.S. Gen. James Jones, commander in chief of U.S. forces in Europe, plans to create an “advance post” for U.S. special forces somewhere in southern Europe to “confront the emerging threats in eastern Europe, the Caucasus and in a large part of Africa.” Such a move would be in line with the Pentagon’s decision to regroup its forces in Europe and cut back the number of its bases on the continent. The move would also bring U.S. special forces closer to Africa. Recently they have conducted maneuvers or training missions in Morocco, Algeria and various countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Create an account or sign in to comment