United States and Britain in Diego Garcia : The Future of a Controversial Base

Diego Garcia is a pivotal US base for all Middle East operations. This book describes its evolution from a secret US-UK bilateral deal in 1966 and the deportation of the native population in the 70s to its new role in Guantánamo-style 'renditions' and the impact of miltary construction on its environment. The coral atoll of Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) today is a pivotal US naval and air base for all Middle East operations (Afghanistan, Iraq, and potentially, Iran). This book, largely based on hitherto unpublished source material, describes the build-up of the base - starting with a secret US-UK bilateral deal in 1966; the deportation of the native island population in the 1970s; the clouded new role of Diego Garcia as a destination for Guantenamo-style 'renditions'; and the impacts of military construction on the environment of the island - which because of its average elevation of 4 ft above sea-level is at direct risk from climate change The coral atoll of Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) today is a pivotal US naval and air base for all Middle East operations (Afghanistan, Iraq, and potentially, Iran). This book, largely based on hitherto unpublished source material, describes the build-up of the base - starting with a secret US-UK bilateral deal in 1966; the deportation of the native island population in the 1970s; the clouded new role of Diego Garcia as a destination for Guantanamo-style 'renditions'; and the impacts of military construction on the environment of the island - which because of its average elevation of 4 ft above sea-level is at direct risk from climate change Front Matter....Pages i-x History: Empire’s Last-Born Colony....Pages 1-13 Human Rights: How to Depopulate an Island....Pages 15-33 Power Politics: “Our” Ocean....Pages 35-41 Military Secrecy: Public Access Denied....Pages 43-49 Nemesis: Natural Heritage Dredged—and Drowned....Pages 51-61 Epilogue: The Lords’ Day?....Pages 63-68 Back Matter....Pages 69-210