The U.S. seeks to increase its military presence in Greece partly because of the growing doubts about Turkey’s reliability, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported the previous day, May 24, citing its sources
According to the newspaper’s interlocutors, the expansion of the American presence in the region is seen in the context of the ongoing deterioration of relations between Greece and Turkey, as well as the lack of progress in relations between Washington and Ankara. The declining confidence in Turkey’s credibility as a NATO ally under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also considered a factor in the U.S. decision to deepen its presence in Greece, Kathimerini said.
In recent years, the US military has strengthened its military ties with Athens. The Americans have already deployed their forces at the naval base in the Gulf of Souda, as well as in Crete, Alexandroupolis, Larissa and Stefanoukeio. There are plans to add four more bases and Greece has provided the US with 22 possible options to choose from for this additional deployment.
At the same time, the United States continues to deploy several military bases in Turkey, including Incirlik. Every time relations with the military superpower deteriorate, Turkish politicians regularly threaten to expel the Americans from this site of strategic importance.
The United States is considering options for its rotational or permanent military presence across the European continent, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Clark Cooper said during a November 2, 2020 conference call with reporters in response to a question about whether Washington is seeking any alternative to Incirlik Air Base on Turkish territory .
The Greek naval base Souda is considered one of the key locations for US-Greek defence cooperation. Here last year, an expanded Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) was signed between Athens and Washington.