GEOSTRATEGY, RESOURCES AND GEOPOLITICS - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE US NAVYAND NAVAL PORT SYSTEM

This paper examines the factors that have helped shape US naval policy over the last 15 years: strategic relationships, resources and geopol itics, As the Navy seeks to redefine its role in the post-Cold-War era , the same elements, in different proportions, are again determining t he future roles and character of the most powerful navy in the world, The disposition of the assets, and the functions of bases, are shown t o be influenced by them in a variety of ways, Naval bases are feeling the direct impacts of the cutbacks being imposed on the Navy, The geog raphy of these cutbacks is explored and, with reference to a number of examples, problems and opportunities afforded by reductions and base closures are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.