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

by Peter H. Sand

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 This book, largely based on hitherto unpublished source material, describes the build-up of the base – starting with a secret US-UK bilateral deal in 1966; the deportation of the native island population in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 Guantánamo-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

220 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2009

About the author

Peter H. Sand is a lecturer in international environmental law at the University of Munich and a former legal adviser for the U.N. Environment Programme and the World Bank. He also serves as co-editor of the journal International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law, and Economics. His most recent book is The United States and Britain in Diego Garcia: The Future of a Controversial Base.

Reviews

[Zakir · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book