>>It was a terrorist act that got the U.S. out of Lebanon and "the message" didn't seem to be a problem then.
>
>That was 20 years ago, and terrorism against the U.S continued after that. Withdrawing from Lebanon didn't change that.
>
>>And you would expect that if Saudi Arabia asked that U.S. troops leave, that they would leave? [FYI now that Qatar has a huge base, I think they'd leave Saudi Arabia, but seriously doubt it prior to that base existing]
>
>This may be one of the most outrageous statements I have heard yet. What is your perception of the U.S.? That we have our bases in countries that don't want us there? That is just completely ridiculous. If the Saudi government asked us at any time to leave, we would have.
>
>The anti-American posts in this forum becoming more than a little annoying. I don't mind people pointing out our obvious mistakes... Vietnam, our support of Saddam in the 80s, etc. But the perception that if the Saudis asked us to leave and we would stay there is just stupid.

Chris;

What is the popular opinion of the people of Okinawa (70% of all U.S. Military Bases in Japan are located on this Island), South Korea, and Germany, towards our Military Bases being on their soil? The Philippines rid itself of U.S. Military Bases through democratic action taken in 1991, because that was the will of its people and government.

Having U.S. Military Bases off of our soil is like Roman outposts in the glory times of the Roman Empire.

Popular opinion of the residents of another nation which we occupy may mean nothing if the government of that nation agrees with us. Is that good or bad? It depends upon how you wish to view it.

Tom