WASHINGTON - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommended the closure of 33 bases in the United States Friday as part of a major reorganization aimed at trimming excess capacity while repositioning US forces for changing global threats.
"Our current arrangements, designed for the Cold War, must give way to the new demands of the war against extremism and other evolving 21st century challenges," Rumsfeld said in a statement announcing the closures.
The list has been nervously awaited by communities around the United States that stand to lose jobs and revenue from the closure or shrinkage of bases in their area.
But the overall impact was blunted by the return of 70,000 US troops from Germany to US bases.
Most of the closures were army, navy and some air force regional reserve bases and centers, reflecting the Pentagon`s desire to move reserve units onto active duty bases to train more closely with the active duty military.
Few large active duty bases were marked for closure.
Among them was Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, home of the air force`s dwindling B-1 bomber fleet.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyards in Maine, which built wooden sailing vessels when it was founded in 1800 and now refits nuclear submarines, also will be closed if the list is approved by Congress.
The list will go to an independent nine-member commission for review and possible changes. When the commission finishes, President George W. Bush will submit the final list to Congress to approve or reject the list in its entirety.
05/13/2005 14:41 GMT