Bases near rival borders provoke arms races and discourage diplomacy

Evidence

Rather than stabilizing dangerous regions, foreign bases frequently heighten military tensions and discourage diplomatic solutions to conflicts. Placing U.S. bases near the borders of countries such as China, Russia, and Iran, for example, increases threats to their security and encourages them to respond by boosting their own military spending. Again, imagine how U.S. leaders would respond if Iran were to build even a single small base in Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 38

Categorization

• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 38