Isthis really necessary?
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti – There’s a wonderful view of Camp Lemonier from a
lofty watch tower smack in the middle of the base. In one direction, you can see
row after row of housing units stretching into the distance. In another, you can
see neighboring Djibouti International Airport. The tower is so tall that a
keen-eyed spotter can see all the way to the beach that marks the post’s
boundary.
This tower in the center of Lemonier was once actually near the edge of the
camp. Increasing American activity in the Horn of Africa has propelled Lemonier
from a sleepy 97-acre post to a 500-acre base that’s become one of the
military’s major installations on the continent. Last year’s stand-up of U.S.
Africa Command means the base is only going to get busier.
SNIP
But the most telling indicators of the camp’s larger role may be the new
infrastructure that will allow it to serve as a support hub for Africa Command.
Crews have already broken ground on new taxiways to increase its ability to
manage aircraft. Leaders are considering putting in a “hot pad” that will allow
planes to refuel, rearm and get back on their way quickly.