US-Greece Military Deals Strengthen, More American Bases Seen

The United States is looking to extend an annual Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement to five years and put more military bases in Greece….

The defense deal extension could be signed in September or October, said the newspaper Kathimerini….

The US has been keen to have more bases in Greece besides the US Naval Station in Souda Bay on Crete and even SYRIZA leader and former premier Alexis Tsipras talked about it with American officials, his party’s alleged ideological enemy.

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Citing sources not named, the newspaper said there have been discussions to expand the Larissa base in central Greece to include MQ-9 drones that were tested there in December, 2019.

The drone can work with the F-16 fighter jet and and can also interconnect with all NATO systems….

Some 23 locations were said to be under consideration….

The upgrade of another port in northern Greece is under consideration, most likely Kavala, where American forces can be stationed, the paper said, adding that the US wants a bigger presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.