MILITARY troops from the USA will be based permanently in Spain to allow them to prepare missions in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
A deal has been reached between the Spanish government, led by Mariano Rajoy and US president Barack Obama for 2,200 American soldiers and 500 civilian employees as back-up to work permanently from the airbase at Morón de la Frontera (Sevilla province).
This means they will be closer to sites of major conflict and better-placed to handle humanitarian crises, and to provide protection for US embassies and for American citizens abroad who run into trouble in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, helping to reinforce efforts to bring stability to troubled areas in these three parts of the world.
US military aircraft in use at the Morón base would increase to 26 planes, and the 850 US soldiers already stationed there would nearly treble.
An agreement will be signed on Monday this week in Spain when US Secretary of State, John Kerry, travels there.
Spain and the USA are already defence partners, thanks to a treaty signed 27 years ago, and this will be amended during a meeting with the southern European nation's defence minister Pedro Morenés.
Although the original agreement was not signed until 1988, US Air Force troops have been stationed at the Morón air base for 62 years.
Any US missions leaving from Sevilla would need the permission of Spain's government, as a formality, explains Kerry.
