I've been reading Chalmers Johnson's book "Nemesis" this month, just an excellent book. I have to keep putting it down to mull over aspects of the book that I hadn't considered before, such as the effects of debris in space from spent satellites. He makes some points about United States imperialism as manifested in our troops being stationed in *host* countries, that actually pay for the privilege of having our bases there. He calls it Protection Money and a number of middle eastern countries pay it.

One part of this is the Status of Forces Agreement (s) that are signed that set conditions for how American troops will act in the host countries, including under the host country's laws.

In seeking permission to build or use one or more military bases in a foreign country, the United States first negotitates a fundamental contract- one that commonly creates an "alliance" with the other state. These basic agreements are usually short, straightforward treaties that express "common objectives" related to "national security" and "international threats to the peace". .. Once the United States as concluded this basic documents, it then negotiates a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) intended above all to put any US forces stationed in the host country as far beyond its domestic laws as possible. What SOFAS do.. is give American soldiers, contractors, Department of Defnes civilians and their dependents a whole range of special privileges that are not available to ordinary citizens of the country or to