美国海外军事基地部署的四个维度——以大中东地区为例

The Four Dimensions of the US Military Base Deployment Abroad: A Case of the Greater Middle East

鉴于美国是世界强国中唯一处于西半球的国家,且对大中东地区的能源依赖度逐年下降,所以美国理应减少对该地区的军事部署。但是,长期以来,美国在大中东不仅军事基地规模最大,而且驻军人数最多。为解释这一现象,本文以大中东地区为例,从战略层面、军事层面、政治层面和利益层面四个维度出发,考察美国海外军事基地部署的动因。研究发现,将敌人遏制在战区范围内是美国海外军事部署的隐性逻辑。通过在盟国土地上部署军事基地,美国不仅可以对各区域"分而治之",而且成为利益攸关方和议题设置者。美国在大中东地区部署军事基地,承载着谋求地区领导权、增强军事投射能力、巩固军事联盟体系和维护现实利益等多重功能。尽管特朗普政府对大中东地区事务缺乏干预的热心,但是对于实力衰落的美国来说,海外军事基地的政治象征意义与军事作战意义同等重要,美国在大中东地区的军事基地将继续发挥传统军事功能和非传统政治与外交功能。

As the only western hemispheric power with global outreach, the United States is geographically remote from the chessboard of Eurasia. Besides, its dependence over the Middle East energy is becoming insignificant. However, it not only maintains a substantial military presence in the region, but also reaches an unprecedented scale. To disclose the puzzle, this paper explores the strategic, military, political and interest dynamics of the US military deployment with a case of the Greater Middle East. It discovers that the hidden logic of Washington is to contain the foes to the battlefield. The US foreign military presence is endowed with multi-faceted functions of maintaining regional leadership, fostering power projection, consolidating alliance system, and safeguarding its practical interest. Through foreign military bases, the US can be able to act as the stakeholder and agenda-setter, and implements its ＂divide and rule＂ tactics. Although Trump administration is less interested in the Middle East affairs, its military deployment in the region will remain intact, symbolizing that the US is still a superpower despite its relative decline. Its military bases in the greater Middle East will continue to bear traditional military functions and non-traditional political and diplomatic functions.