ISIS Is Expanding. Should U.S. Military Bases Abroad Expand Too?

The Pentagon announced its proposal late last year to build up a network of military bases in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Middle East in an effort to halt the expansion of the Islamic State (ISIS) in those regions. The bases would be used primarily for intelligence gathering and carrying out strikes against ISIS affiliates. 

But David Vine, professor at American University and author of Base Nation: How U.S. Military Bases Abroad Harm America and the World, says this strategy is misguided and potentially harmful to national security.

"To expand the U.S. base presence in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere would only be to double down on a strategy that has not worked, that in fact, helped give rise to ISIS," declares Vine. 

Vine recently sat down with Reason TV's Nick Gillespie to discuss how these foreign bases spawn radicalization in the Middle East, are a drain on the U.S. economy, and make war more likely. 

About 11 minutes.

Camera by Todd Krainin and Amanda Winkler. Edited by Winkler. Music by Jingle Punks.

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