US, Spain discuss permanent military base
The United States and Spain are discussing the European country’s hosting of a permanent US Marines intervention force for missions in Africa.
Washington stationed 800 troops plus air support in Moron de la Frontera, near Seville in April 2013.
According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, a December letter from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sought to permanently extend the agreement, as the current deal will expire in April.
The defense department has used the base through a bilateral agreement for decades.
Spain’s foreign and defense ministers will negotiate an amendment to the 1988 military accord between the two countries "with a view to hosting the deployment for an indefinite time," Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said on Friday after a cabinet meeting.
The marines in Spain are operating there with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa.
Based on the Pentagon’s new proposal, the number of troops can reach 3,000 if needed.
The force operates under the orders of the US military's Africa command, based in Germany. Its duties in Africa include intervening in conflicts, protecting embassies, and rescuing military personnel.
The Marine Corps in September established three staging outposts in West Africa -- Senegal, Ghana and Gabon -- for quick response to crises in Africa.
However, since the locations lack the infrastructure needed to house troops long-term, marines are being stationed in Spain.
Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer, deputy to the commander for military operations in US Africa Command, said last year that the Marines were examining the merits of stationing troops in an African host nation.
The negotiations with Spain come as the US is deploying 700 soldiers to a strategic location in the Horn of Africa.
The mission focuses on training African partner nations like Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Burundi, battalion's commander Lt. Col. Tommy L. Cardone said.
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