Choosing a Target, Identifying Political Opportunities

The master global and anti-war frame provides the No bases network prominence and connection to local anti-base oppositions. A transnational "identity" or global movement emerges through different venues post-2003.

At the 2003 Jakarta Peace Conference, a link between military bases and war can be created and the Iraq War provides an opportunity to enhance the opposition to war and imperialism. The No Bases network that had remained local hitherto, begins to emerge globally through this venue in 2003. The opportunity structure, through the global anti-war sentiments, allows the network to garner global support to the linkage between bases and perpetuation of war and imperialism.

At the 2004 Mumbai World Social Form, U.S. bases were attacked as being a form continuing control over the global South. This forum allowed activists to connect with other organizations on the issues of foreign bases, while the focus was around U.S. bases, in particular.

At the 2005 World Social Forum in Porte Allegre, the official name to-date is adopted by consensus: International Network against Foreign Military bases. The adoption of this name reflects a fledgling, but growing, organizational identity that has been in process since 2003. It also suggests that U.S. bases should not be sole target, but that foreign bases in general, particularly from the global North, should remain the network's focus.

The 2007 Quito-Manta (Ecuador) No Bases Conference is the first conference that is hosted by the network and focuses on the organizational structure and coordination between regions, while also establishing the need for adjusting the local initiatives to international frames. Prior to 2003, the no-bases network can only be seen as diffuse opposition to foreign or domestic bases. The establishment of an international network also arose the need for local networks to shift their foci towards greater global objectives.

From the Declaration of the International Conference for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases, 2007:

"Foreign military bases and all other infrastructure used for wars of aggression violate human rights; oppress all people, particularly indigenous peoples, African descendants, women and children; and destroy communities and the environment. They exact immeasurable consequences on the spiritual and psychological wellbeing of humankind. They are instruments of war that entrench militarization, colonialism, imperial policy, patriarchy, and racism."

In this document, the network clearly articulates a master-frame that connects the issue of foreign bases to a human right and emphasizes their use as tools of imperialism and colonialism. In addition, the document calls for the abolition of all U.S., EU, NATO foreign bases.

These four forums have proven important to the network's ability to articulate clear objectives and strategies (particularly in the final declaration in Quito-Manta, 2007). The network expresses the need to connect with academics and scholars for better information dissemination, which might provide the network a chance to expand their reach to the educational and policy community.

In addition, the network should attempt to connect with the United Nations more explicitly. It is unclear to what extent local, regional or international members of the network have attempted to connect with UN agencies. Expressing foreign bases as a violation of a human right will allow the network to connect with organizations that have human rights orientations. Though, it is uncertain, how successful that move would be.