Tsumani Relief as Subterfuge? Pentagon re-enters Vietnam-era Thai air base

[diamond14]

Tsunami Relief as a Subterfuge? The Pentagon Scrambles to Reenter its Old Thai Air Base
by Sirinapha
29 Dec 2004
Modified: 30 Dec 2004

Is the tsunami aftermath a “window of opportunity” for bolstering the Pentagon’s presence in Southeast Asia? The Thai people reject the proposed build-up of the American military at Utapao air base and in the Gulf of Thailand. The tragedy of the natural catastrophe in the Indian Ocean should not serve as a pretext for strengthening the U.S. military presence on land, sea and in the air in the region.

The Pentagon has announced it is returning to its old Vietnam War haunts at Utapao Royal Thai Naval Air Force Base 90 miles south of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. In this clear escalation of the American military presence in Southeast Asia, the ostensible plan is to set up a "command center" for the tsunami emergency relief effort. Utapao air base will serve as a staging base for U.S. military and rescue aircraft. The emergency relief operations appear to provide a windfall opportunity for beefing up the American military presence in Southeast Asia, part of the expanding Pentagon strategy of "forward positioning," establishing sites, so-called "air cargo hubs," where American forces can stash equipment and enter and leave as desired.

During the Vietnam War, Utapao functioned from April 1967 as a major staging base for B-52s carrying out bombing raids over North Vietnam, and KC-35 stratotankers of the Strategic Air Command. Many American GIs served there <1>.

Despite Thailand's neutrality on the war in Iraq, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra allowed Utapao to be used by American warplanes flying into combat in Iraq last year, and into Afghanistan earlier. There is also speculation that Utapao, with its infamous facilities for 'sophisticated interrogation' (a military heirloom from the Vietnam era), is probably where various al-Qaeda suspects have been secretly grilled.


continued at this link
http://dc.indymedia.org/feature/rate/111903

[pacifictiger]

1. C'mon

they've got to land somewhere to get those supplies in!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nascarblue]

19. Now, this was planned out...

There is a very in depth well done article on this right here...

The US Military and the State Department were given advanced warning. America's Navy base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean was notified.

Why did the US State Department remain mum on the existence of an impending catastrophe?

With a modern communications system, why did the information not get out? By email, telephone, fax, satellite TV ?

Two Aircraft Carriers have been sent to the region.

Why is it necessary for the US to mobilize so much military equipment? The pattern is unprecedented:

Conway said the Lincoln carrier strike group has 12 helicopters embarked that he said could be "extremely valuable" in recovery missions.

25 more helicopters are aboard USS Bonhomme Richard, headed to the Bay of Bengal. Conway said the expeditionary strike group was in Guam and is forgoing port visits in Guam and Singapore and expects to arrive in the Bay of Bengal by Jan. 7.

Conway said the strike group, with its seven ships, 2,100 Marines and 1,400 sailors aboard, also has four Cobra helicopters that will be instrumented in reconnaissance efforts.


Why has a senior commander involved in the invasion of Iraq been assigned to lead the US emergency relief program?


Why in the wake of the disaster, is the US military (rather than civilian humanitarian/aid organizations operating under UN auspices) taking a lead role?

The US Pacific Command has been designated to coordinate the channeling of emergency relief? Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Rusty Blackman, commander of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Okinawa, has been designated to lead the emergency relief program

lt. Gen. Blackman was previously Chief of Staff for Coalition Forces Land Component Command, responsible for leading the Marines into Baghdad during "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

Three "Marine disaster relief assessment teams" under Blackman's command have been sent to Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

US military aircraft are conducting observation missions.



http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO412C.html

[diamond14]

3. ahhhh....do they really need to bring in a bunch of battleships....

and afterall, there's a local tourist airport nearby that they could use to fly in their stuff...of course, then, everyone would see what they got...and there's NO storage....what do you need storage for?..their stuff should be off loaded and taken to where it's needed ASAP

-snip-

"The U. S. Navy is also dispatching the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Bonhomme Richard expeditionary strike group to the immediate area offshore <2>.

[Maria Celeste]

8. Actually the USN belongs there

Best way to get transportation and supplies in is by sea. The big carrier has LOTS of sailors on board to work relief efforts, not to mention the largest medical facilities short of a hospital ship.

The helo carrier actually has more helos than deck space. Using the big carrier gives them much more room to work.

They can also produce electricity and fresh water in abundance. Something the area will desperately need.

Carriers are like rock stars, they always go with an entourage. Just in case there are some crazies out there.

Note that I did not see battleships mentioned, just carriers and their support groups

[diamond14]

10. so why doesn't bush* send that HUGE hospital ship...it's just sitting

down here in Norfolk....

or the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers...people who actually are educated and trained and experienced in building and fixing roads, housing, water treatment, etc.


as far as water, the U.S. Army has beautiful membrane-filtration portable water-treatment systems...there compact, like a small uhaul trailer....put the tube into a river, and you can easily treat water for a 20,000 people in one day....


so why the big Navy stuff???...seems arrogant bloated and out of context...

[Maria Celeste]

11. Because it close and ready

Those are coming out of Pacific fleet and were already worked up for deployment. They are also closer. Basically they can get there soonest.

Do you have any idea what the state of the hospital ship at the NNS is? It takes a while to get a ship ready to deploy. Its a several month process at best.

The Army stuff will take more time to mobilize, what with that minor distraction in Iraq (sarcasm). It will be interesting to see how much of that ends up getting over there. Its the only legitimate reason for the USAF to open the airbase.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. UH .... we haven't had battleships for a while now ......

[diamond14]

16. you can argue semantics, but I'll bet there is PLENTY of BIG weapons

on the ships that bush* is sending to Thailand....

it doesn't take rocket scientists to realize what those ships can do and have done, in terms of BATTLES and WEAPONS.....

[BrotherBuzz]

4. It'd be real Subterfuge if they re-activate NKP air base!

NKP (Nakhon Phanom) Royal Thai Air Base - Spook city!

http://amer-thai2001.tripod.com/id3.html

[diamond14]

5. PHOTO..you re-enter Thailand with the base you have, not the base you want

NKP....don't worry, rummy will figure out a way to get into NKP...one step at a time...these neo-CONS are into global domination.....

[BrotherBuzz]

6. Rusty sign on NKP perimeter fence

"If bitten, go straight to hospital. Remember to take snake with you for identification"

I hate snakes, especally neo-con snakes.;)

[diamond14]

7. IMO, this is why bush* spent 3 days hunkered down with the pentagoon

before he came out to make a remark.....neo-CONS were working out the details of the re-entry into the Asian area...

it's probably why India has refused all aid from American....


bush* is truly scum...

[RuleofLaw]

9. It is amassing that all other countries can send planes (Hercules) and

other aid to Asia without opening old military bases, but use the already existing civilian bases. Why does the US always have to tie in the Military when ever we do something abroad?

[diamond14]

13. and other countries were able to LOAD up jets with medical people

equipment, supplies, rescuers, food, water and more within ONE DAY and are already working on this...

bush* was STILL pouring over pentagoon plans for a "I'M in charge" re-entry to old Vietnam military facilities with ships and shit....
and a 'stingy' amount of money....the UN was clear that everything they need can be purchased locally with MONEY...noooooo, bush* wants to do a MILITARY INVASION....and stage a base for further neo-con world domination....

[heretheycome]

14. I wish they would

refuse American jobs!

[RafterMan]

15. Come on

Aerial recon is much needed in the region right now. They need the planes, we've got 'em.

There is no "despite" to Thailand's neutrality. We'd be, well, stingy not to offer, and they'd be foolish not to accept.

[diamond14]

17. But NO OTHER COUNTRY is dispatching its military to Thailand.

But no other country is dispatching its military to Thailand. Including an entire Marine expeditionary force.

[RafterMan]

22. But no other country is the US

This is not new -- I'm not asking you to love it, but this is the whole post-WWII deal. Only the US (or perhaps the Australians, acting in America's name) can deploy military units in other countries in the region without sending shockwaves through the system.

I don't trust Bush either, but at this point I think it's a useful thing for the military to be doing.

[shance]

25. Great point. What if China or say Russia were dispatching military.

Being the somewhat touchy situation in Iraq, don't think this exactly will be winning us the Congeniality award.

It may be for the best and most meritorious (sp?)of intentions, but lately we've had a problem inviting ourselves into countries that didn't invite us to begin with, and who didn't want our military there and so our intentions however honorable might not be understood as being such.

And, I don't buy the rather arrogant, but no other country is the US. Pretty imperialistic and nationalistic perception that reminds me of empires past, that is putting us on a undeserved superior level that frankly, we have done nothing lately to come close to acting in a superior fashion.

[ShaneGR]

18. So which is, help them, or don't help them?

Seems to me if we DIDN'T send those ships, people would be jumping up and down screaming. But when we DO send the ships, some people are still jumping up and down screaming.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Folks, I'm on the same side you are, but the military - the Navy and AF

specifically - is the correct response right now.

The carriers are appropriate because they have - at the ready - exactly what's needed in the affected area right now. They can make many thousands of gallons of fresh water a day from seawater. They have state of the art hospitals, including surgical suites and full medical staffs. They have plenty of food and the ability to deliver it. They have personnel on board who are trained specifically to operate in adverse conditions. Their aircraft can do both search and rescue and damage assessment type reconnaissance. To NOT use this resource would be a crime.

Most importantly, these ships are mission ready and in the area. As to two carrier groups, Bon Homme Richard is not actually a carrier, It is a helicopter launch troop ship. It has more helicopters than it can fit on its deck. The second carrier will allow for far larger flight ops.

I am one who does not trust any of the Chimpus Khan regime farther than I might be able to throw them, but there is likely nothing whatever nefarious about the "military" response to this tragedy.

[nascarblue]

21. Coincidence! Major quake exactly 1 year ago

The 9.0 killer earthquake in Asia that unleashed tsunamis killing tens of thousands followed exactly one year to the hour after the Bam, Iran, earthquake that killed 26,000.

On Dec. 26, 2003, a 6.6 quake hit the ancient city of Bam in Iran. While the quake was much smaller than the one that struck near the island of Sumatra Sunday, its epicenter was directly under the city.

On Dec. 26, 2004, the 9.0 quake struck in South Asia. While the death toll will be much higher, most of the destructiveness was the result of the giant waves triggered by the earth's movement under the India Ocean.

The 2003 quake hit at 01:56:52 UTC, while the 2004 quake struck at 00:58:55 UTC – exactly one year, 58 minutes apart.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42151

[Minstrel Boy]

23. Can anyone doubt that Pentagon minds are asking themselves

"How can we take advantage of the opportunity the Tsunami affords us to leverage our forces in Southeast Asia?"

[nascarblue]

24. India turned down Israel because they were sending military..

India isn't stupid. All they need is supplies and humanitarian aid. They know that Israel has been up to no good militarily with us since 9/11. They're also with us in IRaq and Iran.

Didn't you guys hear about India turning down Israel because they were sending all this military just like Bush is doing right now?


http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=51570