No Bases for Empire: International Activists Organize Against U.S. Foreign Bases in Their Backyards

Things are different in Europe, where the Bush administration now appears to have secured plans for its proposed missile system. U.S. missiles would be stationed in Poland along with a radar site in the Czech Republic. Earlier this month, NATO leaders meeting in Romania endorsed the missile plans. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said a formal accord will likely come next month.

Majorities in both Poland and the Czech Republic oppose the missile plan, which is widely seen as a first-strike threat against Iran.

Two foreign activists are on a U.S. speaking tour as part of a campaign called “No Bases for Empire.” They join me now from Washington, D.C. Jan Tamas is from the Czech Republic–he’s the founder of the No Bases Initiative, a coalition against the proposed U.S. missile system in Eastern Europe.

I’m also joined by Olivier Bancoult. He was expelled from his native Diego Garcia when he was four years old. The U.S. has operated a military base there since British forces expelled native islanders in the early 1970s. Olivier is with the Chagos Refugee Group.

Jan Tamas, activist from the Czech Republic. He is the founder of the No Bases Initiative, a coalition against the proposed U.S. missile system in Eastern Europe.

Olivier Bancoult, he was expelled from his native Diego Garcia when he was four years old. The U.S. has operated a military base there since British forces expelled native islanders in the early 1970s. Olivier is with the Chagos Refugee Group.

Related Links

• No Bases Initiative
• Chagos Refugee Group