The title is taken from Bill's post, which acted as a catalyst to return to an issue I've not looked at seriously for a long time.

For a host of reasons, even in this networked world, using the USA as the example there is a requirement for such usually mundane matters as overflight permission (recall the US F-111 strike on Libya) and bases / facilities. I vividly recall now twenty years ago flying to Windhoek from Jo'burg and the on-board announcement look to your right at the US-funded, huge airbase (never used I think).

Not to overlook the role of the heavy airlift available from the commercial sector and former Soviet air forces. Strategic co-operation and often in Africa, where the USAF might not be so welcome to overfly and land.

Professor Robert Harkavy has written on this issue, most recently in 'Strategic basing and the great powers, 1200-2000':http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=s...page&q&f=false

Ensuring both nations gain something is important. I am no expert, others here are on the Phillipines, but I do recall the amazement that the USA lost Clark Field and Subic Bay. What do you when one side says 'go now'? Another example was Libya, with Gadafy's coup. There the UK had more troops than the Libyan Army, plus UK & US airfields.