David Vine

David Vine is assistant professor of anthropology at American University, in Washington, D.C. He is the author of Island of Shame: The Secret History of the U.S. Military Base on Diego Garcia (Princeton University Press, 2009). He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Mother Jones, among other places. He is currently completing a book about the more than 1,000 US military bases located outside the United States.

Taiwan Strait Helicopter

Do We Really Need Another Cold War? Do We Really Need Another Cold War?

The world barely survived the first one—Biden could prevent the next.

Oct 28, 2021 / David Vine

PHILIPPINES US MILITARY DUTERTE

Are Trump’s Friendly Overtures to Autocrats a Break With Diplomatic Tradition? Are Trump’s Friendly Overtures to Autocrats a Break With Diplomatic Tradition?

The military bases America keeps in 45 less-than-democratic nations are evidence of our long-standing collaboration with repressive regimes.

May 16, 2017 / David Vine

Chagos Islanders Protest

Atoning for Washington’s ‘Mass Kidnapping’ in the Indian Ocean Atoning for Washington’s ‘Mass Kidnapping’ in the Indian Ocean

The US and UK governments forcibly expelled an entire population of islanders to make way for a military base. It’s time to let them come home.

Jul 11, 2016 / Foreign Policy In Focus / David Vine

US Troops Afghanistan

The Pentagon’s New Base Plan Will Achieve the Exact Opposite of Its Goal The Pentagon’s New Base Plan Will Achieve the Exact Opposite of Its Goal

We’re building bases to prevent terrorism, but local terror groups are recruiting in reaction to our bases.

Jan 14, 2016 / David Vine

Michigan Base, Afghanistan

The United States Probably Has More Foreign Military Bases Than Any Other People, Nation, or Empire in History The United States Probably Has More Foreign Military Bases Than Any Other People, Nation, or Empire in History

And it’s doing us more harm than good.

Sep 14, 2015 / David Vine

US Navy aircraft carrier

The US Base More Secret Than Guantánamo The US Base More Secret Than Guantánamo

One US military base, decades of lies, and a crime that has never been faced or righted.

Jun 15, 2015 / David Vine

The Bases of War in the Middle East

The Bases of War in the Middle East The Bases of War in the Middle East

Congress is spending billions of dollars on bases in the Middle East, but what role do they really serve?

Nov 13, 2014 / David Vine

The Italian Job

The Italian Job The Italian Job

How the Pentagon is using your tax dollars to turn Italy into a launching pad for the wars of today and tomorrow.

Oct 3, 2013 / David Vine

The $385 Billion Military-Industrial Boondoggle You’ve Never Heard Of

The $385 Billion Military-Industrial Boondoggle You’ve Never Heard Of The $385 Billion Military-Industrial Boondoggle You’ve Never Heard Of

America's foreign bases are more staggering than ever—and, with your tax dollars, an empire of private contractors is holding them down.

May 14, 2013 / David Vine

The True Costs of Empire

The True Costs of Empire The True Costs of Empire

Why are US taxpayers still forced to pay billions of dollars for US military bases?

Dec 11, 2012 / David Vine

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