Allies Not RequiredAmong the many lessons
learned in Operation Iraqi Freedom is that you just never know who your
friends are[n't]. Getting permission to use air bases in Turkey, Saudi
Arabia, and other countries for staging operations proved disappointing
at best. If the U.S. DoD has its way, that will never be an issue in
the future. Plans are being drawn for mammoth floating steel islands
that will host all branches of the military. The Joint Mobile Offshore
Base (JMOB) will consist of self-propelled, self-supporting modules
that will rendezvous anywhere in the world, in international waters.
The 120 foot high, 1000 foot long modules will form an airport, house
troops, dock ships, contain POW facilities, a hospital, recreation halls
and most other "creature comforts" of a fixed land base.
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