most interesting... are these singapore airmen there to stay? as far as i could tell they are which boggles my mind as to the reasons why???? S&F this and hardin r very intriguing...

This is the same as we have done for years. We have bases all over the world and now we are getting a taste of it. Guess we are doing our part in globalization.

Hmm, maybe, there or other reasons as well, such as getting us used to foreign troops, building allies or preparing for something worse to come down.