While exact numbers depend on definitions, several hundred foreign military bases have been identified, most of them run by the USA on the territory of its allies. These bases are symbols of power projection across the world, and are partly responsible for the tensions between superpowers. In addition they have a whole range of negative effects on their host communities, such as prostitution and violence against women, distortion of local labour markets, cultural and environmental contamination, noise pollution from low flying aircraft, and occupation and destruction of farmland and even residential urban areas. Small surprise that such installations have become targets for peace protests and local mobilisations.
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