How did the U.S. get a naval base in Cuba?
Dear Cecil:If Cuba has been an enemy of the U.S.A. for all these years, how is it that we have a military base on their soil? — Bill Reichle, Berkeley, California Dear Bill: What’s your complaint? From the standpoint of logistics, you can’t get much more cost-effective than stationing your troops in the enemy’s country. Obvious advantage #1: if you declare war, forget the Desert Storm airlift, just tell the guys to start heaving grenades over the barbed wire. Obvious advantage #2: you know your people aren’t going to sleep on sentry duty. The only reason this advanced strategic concept isn’t more widely employed is that under ordinary circumstances it’s difficult to get the bad guys to cooperate. We finessed that one by establishing the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (the military base you’re talking about, commonly known as Gitmo) on Cuba’s southeast coast in 1903, when Cuba and the U.S. were still on friendly terms. It’s been there ever since. The weather is excellent and you’re convenien
