Aidan J.
Simardone
As Trump
threatens war on Iran, Washington weaponizes Diego Garcia – a Chagos island in
the Indian Ocean built on ethnic cleansing, British colonialism, and military
adventurism.
US President
Donald Trump’s recent threat to strike Iran unless it halts its nuclear program
has revived interest in a long-standing American asset: Diego Garcia. B-2
stealth bombers have been deployed to the island – British territory in name
but an American garrison in practice – suggesting that Washington is either
preparing for war or raising the stakes with an aggressive bluff.
Located in the
heart of the Indian Ocean, the Diego Garcia island gives the United States
unmatched reach across West Asia, Eastern Africa, and South Asia. It has been a
launchpad for every major US war in the region – from Iraq to Afghanistan. Now,
it may be key to a possible assault on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
But this
island, remote and seemingly uncontroversial, is steeped in colonial injustice.
Its original inhabitants, the Chagossians, were forcibly expelled to make way
for the base. The UK, under pressure from Washington, detached the archipelago
from Mauritius and ethnically cleansed it.
In 2024,
Britain finally agreed to hand back the islands to Mauritius, but the US lease
remains. For now, Diego Garcia is securely in American hands – and poised once
again to serve as a launchpad for imperial warfare.
From paradise
to genocide
Once colonized
by France and later Britain, the Chagos Islands were home to a unique Creole
population descended from African slaves and Indian laborers. For generations,
the Chagossians lived peacefully on the islands, building a distinct identity
with their own language and customs.
As
anti-colonial movements swept across Africa and Asia in the 1950s and 1960s,
the US sought new bases to maintain its influence around the Indian Ocean. Camp
Badaber in Pakistan ultimately closed in 1970 as the country became closer with
China. The Eritrean War of Independence threatened Kagnew Station in Ethiopia.
The loss of both bases would be a major blow to US intelligence gathering of
Soviet activities.
Diego Garcia
could plug this gap, but there were two problems: the islands were part of
Mauritius and had inhabitants.
In violation of
international legal norms, Britain pressured Mauritius into giving up the
Chagos Archipelago.
Then began the
ethnic cleansing. To intimidate the islanders, their beloved pet dogs were
killed en masse through shooting and gassing. The largest plantation was
closed, depriving people of employment.
Food and
medical supplies were restricted to kill the population or force them to leave.
By 1971, those who remained were told they needed a legal permit, which no one
received. With little notice, many were forced to leave their homes.
Reminiscent of the slave boats their ancestors were brought in, Chagossians
were crammed into the bottom of boats as they fled the islands.
A launchpad for
endless war
With the island
empty and the runway extended, Diego Garcia quickly became central to US war
strategy. It played a key role in the 1980 failed hostage rescue mission in
Iran, “Operation Eagle Claw,” and later against Iran during the Iran–Iraq War.
In 1987, the
runway was improved for the stationing of US B-52 Bombers, which can deliver
large payloads and precision-guided munitions. These bombers were vital during
the Gulf War for attacking Iraq’s command and control centers, and again during
the beginning of the invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.
As the US
expanded its footprint in the Persian Gulf, bases in Qatar and Bahrain took on
greater significance – hosting long-range bombers, the US Central Command's
(CENTCOM) headquarters, and the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. These two bases were
vital: bombers from Qatar and vessels from Bahrain helped strike Taliban
strongholds during the invasion of Afghanistan and hit Baghdad in the Shock and
Awe campaign.
But proximity
to the battlefield has become a double-edged sword. Iran's significant missile
arsenal, including hypersonic ones – demonstrated during its October 2024
retaliation against Israel – makes those Persian Gulf bases vulnerable.
Close proximity
is also a challenge for B-2 stealth bombers, which can be detected at ground
level and during takeoff. With only 20 B-2s, costing $2 billion each, this is a
price the US cannot afford. If war breaks out, Tehran is unlikely to spare the
economic infrastructure of its neighbors.
It is unlikely
that either Bahrain or Qatar would be willing to bear the cost of an Iranian
attack. Iran could not only attack US military bases, but also oil and gas
infrastructure, which would destroy their economies. The two nations have also
been edging closer to Iran: Tehran was one of the few capitals that supported
Qatar during its diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf
emirates; in the past year, Bahrain and Iran have also been working on
restoring ties.
Diego Garcia,
by contrast, sits well beyond the range of most Iranian missiles – at least
that is the assessment for now. It allows stealth bombers to launch undetected,
and Iran’s limited ability to punish the island's British overlords makes it an
ideal staging ground for Washington’s war plans.
According to
available data, Iran’s longest-range missile is the Khorramshahr-4, with a
reach of approximately 2,000 kilometers. Yet, the US military base in Diego
Garcia – located deep in the Indian Ocean – is nearly 4,000 kilometers from
Iran’s southern coast. While there is no confirmed evidence that Iran currently
has the means to strike such a distant target, the existence of capabilities –
undisclosed by the Islamic Republic – that could reach the US base cannot be
entirely ruled out.
Moreover, the
Khorramshahr-4 missile’s proven ability to evade Israeli air defenses raises
concerns about the US’s ability to defend Diego Garcia in a major conflict –
particularly if Iran possesses long-range missiles capable of striking the
remote base.
Any attack on
Iran could trigger a wider regional war, with blowback against American assets
and allies across West Asia – from Tel Aviv to Riyadh. Killing a few Iranian
leaders might offer symbolic victories, but Tehran’s command structure is built
for resilience. The risks far outweigh the tactical gains.
A map showing
the location of the US base in Diego Garcia.
A homeland
turned fortress
Despite a 2019
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling demanding Britain end “its
administration of the Chagos Islands as rapidly as possible,” real justice for
the Chagossians remains elusive. Although London agreed in October 2024 to
begin the process of returning the archipelago to Mauritius, the US base is
staying put. Mauritius offered a 99-year lease, without securing the right of
return for the expelled Chagossians.
That could soon
become permanent. If war erupts, Diego Garcia may once again be expanded,
militarized further, and rendered uninhabitable. A concrete fortress will be
all that remains of what was once a peaceful homeland.
In the end,
whether through military strike or imperial inertia, the Chagossians risk
losing their islands forever – not to history, but to America's wars.
No comments:
Post a Comment