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Plan to charge allies for US troop presence carries risks for Americans in North Africa

US President Donald Trump’s reported plan to charge allies for US military bases could make it harder to protect diplomats and embassies throughout Africa.
A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, touches down at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, April 9, 2016.  The U.S. Air Force deployed B-52 bombers to Qatar on Saturday to join the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the first time they have been based in the Middle East since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. REUTERS/U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Corey Hook/Handout via Reuters  THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTE

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0463c1; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0463c1} President Donald Trump’s reported plan to charge allies for US military bases could jeopardize access agreements that were set up after the September 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, to protect US facilities in Africa, former US officials warn.

The administration’s scheme, first detailed by Bloomberg on Friday, would demand Germany and Japan pay the full cost of keeping US troops there — plus another 50%. The requirement could eventually extend to all American allies.

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