Smaller bases do not reliably avoid the local controversies large bases provoke

Evidence

This new generation of smaller bases is appealing to many who hope that lily pads and other relatively small bases can avoid the controversies and protests that have often accompanied the large bases worldwide. But this has often not been the case. As we will see, military facilities small and large alike all too often harm local communities in ways that locals do not easily forget. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 158

Categorization

Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims

• SEED: Angle for the book’s overall harm argument: the ‘small footprint’ framing as a PR strategy that fails on the ground.

Related

• Small forward bases provoke local controversies just as much as large ones do (similarity 0.94)
• Smaller lily pad bases still harm local communities despite hopes they would avoid controversy. (similarity 0.91)
• Small lily pad bases routinely expand into behemoth installations. (similarity 0.81)
• Small forward bases still harm local communities and provoke opposition. (similarity 0.80)
• The Pentagon counts ‘small’ overseas bases valued up to $915 million (similarity 0.80)
• The Pentagon shifted to small covert ‘lily pad’ bases to evade local opposition. (similarity 0.80)
• Host-nation opposition and use restrictions are driving the Pentagon toward small covert bases (similarity 0.80)
• Lily pads still generate local harm and protest despite their small footprint. (similarity 0.79)
• Lily pads grant the U.S. Subic-era access without the political costs of large garrisons (similarity 0.79)
• Small temporary bases routinely grow into large permanent ones with rising costs. (similarity 0.79)
• The peace-keeping rationale for overseas bases lacks supporting evidence. (similarity 0.79)
• Deterrence research ignores the long-term deterrence that overseas bases supposedly provide (similarity 0.79)
• Judgments about overseas base security value rest on prior beliefs, not evidence (similarity 0.78)
• Scattered small bases force collaboration with despotic regimes and enable coups. (similarity 0.78)
• Closing big bases drove the Pentagon toward smaller lily pad facilities (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Overseas bases can increase global danger rather than security #corroborates (0.55) — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 1060