Strategic Importance of Sri Lanka For USA

toyya

New Member
Sri Lanka's strategic importance.

If the world is showing an extraordinary interest in the peace process in Sri Lanka; if the western donor nations have given $3 billion for post-tsunami reconstruction work in the island; and if India wants to be kept informed about what is going on constantly, it is because of Sri Lanka's strategic importance.
This conclusion is inescapable if one reads 'Strategic Significance of Sri Lanka' by a researcher of Deakin University Australia.

In this 2005 publication, brought out by Stamford Lake, Somasundaram tells us that Sri Lanka has had strategic importance in world history since the 17th century, attracting the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the British, in succession. Now, we may add a new entity, "the international community", to the list of interested parties.

The author gives three reasons for such interest: (1) Sri Lanka is strategically situated (2) It is ideally situated to be a major communication center, and (3) It has Trincomalee, described by the British Admiral Horatio Nelson as "the finest harbour in the world".

Sri Lanka occupies a strategic point in the Indian Ocean, whose vast expanse covering 2,850,000 sq miles, touches the shores of the Indian subcontinent in the North; Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia in the East; Antartica in the South; and East Africa in the West.

The Indian Ocean encompasses the Red Sea approach to the Suez Canal, and the approaches to the oil-rich Gulf, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca, which is a major sea route between the West and the Far East.

Sri Lanka, with its natural harbour of Trincomalee, is at a strategic point in the whole region, having global significance in the modern age, Somasundaram notes. The Trincomalee harbour, he adds, is placed in a strategic point near the Bay of Bengal and is one of Sri Lanka's "most valuable assets".

The entrance to the harbour is four miles wide and five miles across, East to West. The inner harbour (which lies in the North) covers about 12 sq miles and is securely enclosed by outcrops of huge rocks and small islets. A remarkable feature is the great depth of the inner harbour, he says.

During the period of sailing ships, the harbour could ensure the safety of a whole fleet during the monsoon, from October to March. A fleet, so protected, was in a position to dominate the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Sea.

"Thus any power that controlled this harbour had a great advantage from a naval and strategic perspective," Somasundaram observes. He goes on to say that the fact that the British had Trincomalee enabled them to control their Empire in India, effectively. During World War II, Trincomalee protected the British Seventh Fleet. It proved invaluable after the British lost the Singapore naval base to the Japanese in 1942.

Ideal for nuclear submarines
Trincomalee has immense significance in this age of nuclear weaponry and nuclear submarine-based missile systems also, the author points out.

"Given the depth of the harbour, nuclear submarines are able to dive low within the inner harbour to effectively avoid radar and sonar detection," he observes.

Somasundaram shows how diplomatic relations between the indigenous Kandyan kingdom and the European powers in the 18th and 19th centuries; the post-war/post-independence diplomatic relations of the Ceylon government; and the relations between Sri Lanka and India since the 1980s, have all revolved round who will use Trincolmalee harbour and how it should be used.

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"Bases available to the USAF for operations in South Asia are in Thailand and Singapore. The US has a long-standing defence treaty relationship with Thailand and use of a Royal Thai naval air station in U Tapaho. It has a similar defence treaty arrangement with Singapore. But the above-mentioned US DoD study notes that New Delhi is 1600 nm from Bangkok bases in central Saudi Arabia and 2600 nm from Singapore."


"Therefore the US began to actively look for and seek basing opportunities in countries closer to India from 1990. In this process, the US availed itself of intelligence, military, diplomatic and economic leverage and access enjoyed in the target countries by its main security partners i.e., Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore."

"Sri Lanka was a prime candidate for two reasons:

  1. “The central position of the island between the Straits of Malacca and Hormuzâ€. The US DoD study observes that Sri Lanka’s “infrastructure for basing opportunities are excellentâ€. The USAF, DIA team that visited Palaly, China Bay, Sigiriya, Koggala and Kuda Oya in 2001 did a brief update regarding Sri Lanka of the RAND study “The US and Asia: Toward a New Force Posture. (A public version of the study is available at the RAND Corp. It does not give the true picture) The research for South Asia project was sponsored the US Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, US Air Force and the Commander of the US’s Pacific Air Forces. A classified version of this update on Sri Lanka was given to the Sri Lanka Air Force and Army headquarters and DMI for comments. It was basically about improving Palaly, China Bay and advantage of building new international dual-purpose airfield in Kuda Oya. If the update is read together with the RAND report it gives a clear picture of US strategic aims in developing Palaly, Trinco, Kuda Oya.
  2. Sri Lanka’s military and intelligence services had long-standing and close institutional relationship with the British MI6, MI5, and the Central Intelligence Agency. The MI6 provided the main component of the training program for the Special Branch, which became the NIB in 1984 (and currently known as the Directorate of Internal Intelligence)."
The CIA and MI6 second work to the NIB on specific matters and have access to its registry on formal request. The official from CIA’s Colombo station who liases with the NIB (usually through the NIB’s additional director although there is a section head in there who deals with foreign missions) holds the position of ‘regional security officer’ – an ‘unlisted post’ in the US embassy.



(The CIA station chief in Colombo is the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US embassy) The CIA station in New Delhi also liases with the DII on specific projects. The world’s largest intelligence organization, the National Security Agency (NSA), has a presence in Colombo and works through the US army/Defense Intelligence Agency office in the US mission in Colombo. The level of its operations is not clear.
 

aaaditya

New Member
toyya said:
Sri Lanka's strategic importance.

If the world is showing an extraordinary interest in the peace process in Sri Lanka; if the western donor nations have given $3 billion for post-tsunami reconstruction work in the island; and if India wants to be kept informed about what is going on constantly, it is because of Sri Lanka's strategic importance.
This conclusion is inescapable if one reads 'Strategic Significance of Sri Lanka' by a researcher of Deakin University Australia.

In this 2005 publication, brought out by Stamford Lake, Somasundaram tells us that Sri Lanka has had strategic importance in world history since the 17th century, attracting the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the British, in succession. Now, we may add a new entity, "the international community", to the list of interested parties.

The author gives three reasons for such interest: (1) Sri Lanka is strategically situated (2) It is ideally situated to be a major communication center, and (3) It has Trincomalee, described by the British Admiral Horatio Nelson as "the finest harbour in the world".

Sri Lanka occupies a strategic point in the Indian Ocean, whose vast expanse covering 2,850,000 sq miles, touches the shores of the Indian subcontinent in the North; Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia in the East; Antartica in the South; and East Africa in the West.

The Indian Ocean encompasses the Red Sea approach to the Suez Canal, and the approaches to the oil-rich Gulf, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca, which is a major sea route between the West and the Far East.

Sri Lanka, with its natural harbour of Trincomalee, is at a strategic point in the whole region, having global significance in the modern age, Somasundaram notes. The Trincomalee harbour, he adds, is placed in a strategic point near the Bay of Bengal and is one of Sri Lanka's "most valuable assets".

The entrance to the harbour is four miles wide and five miles across, East to West. The inner harbour (which lies in the North) covers about 12 sq miles and is securely enclosed by outcrops of huge rocks and small islets. A remarkable feature is the great depth of the inner harbour, he says.

During the period of sailing ships, the harbour could ensure the safety of a whole fleet during the monsoon, from October to March. A fleet, so protected, was in a position to dominate the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Sea.

"Thus any power that controlled this harbour had a great advantage from a naval and strategic perspective," Somasundaram observes. He goes on to say that the fact that the British had Trincomalee enabled them to control their Empire in India, effectively. During World War II, Trincomalee protected the British Seventh Fleet. It proved invaluable after the British lost the Singapore naval base to the Japanese in 1942.

Ideal for nuclear submarines

Trincomalee has immense significance in this age of nuclear weaponry and nuclear submarine-based missile systems also, the author points out.

"Given the depth of the harbour, nuclear submarines are able to dive low within the inner harbour to effectively avoid radar and sonar detection," he observes.

Somasundaram shows how diplomatic relations between the indigenous Kandyan kingdom and the European powers in the 18th and 19th centuries; the post-war/post-independence diplomatic relations of the Ceylon government; and the relations between Sri Lanka and India since the 1980s, have all revolved round who will use Trincolmalee harbour and how it should be used.

----------

"Bases available to the USAF for operations in South Asia are in Thailand and Singapore. The US has a long-standing defence treaty relationship with Thailand and use of a Royal Thai naval air station in U Tapaho. It has a similar defence treaty arrangement with Singapore. But the above-mentioned US DoD study notes that New Delhi is 1600 nm from Bangkok bases in central Saudi Arabia and 2600 nm from Singapore."


"Therefore the US began to actively look for and seek basing opportunities in countries closer to India from 1990. In this process, the US availed itself of intelligence, military, diplomatic and economic leverage and access enjoyed in the target countries by its main security partners i.e., Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore."

"Sri Lanka was a prime candidate for two reasons:
  1. “The central position of the island between the Straits of Malacca and Hormuzâ€. The US DoD study observes that Sri Lanka’s “infrastructure for basing opportunities are excellentâ€. The USAF, DIA team that visited Palaly, China Bay, Sigiriya, Koggala and Kuda Oya in 2001 did a brief update regarding Sri Lanka of the RAND study “The US and Asia: Toward a New Force Posture. (A public version of the study is available at the RAND Corp. It does not give the true picture) The research for South Asia project was sponsored the US Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, US Air Force and the Commander of the US’s Pacific Air Forces. A classified version of this update on Sri Lanka was given to the Sri Lanka Air Force and Army headquarters and DMI for comments. It was basically about improving Palaly, China Bay and advantage of building new international dual-purpose airfield in Kuda Oya. If the update is read together with the RAND report it gives a clear picture of US strategic aims in developing Palaly, Trinco, Kuda Oya.
  2. Sri Lanka’s military and intelligence services had long-standing and close institutional relationship with the British MI6, MI5, and the Central Intelligence Agency. The MI6 provided the main component of the training program for the Special Branch, which became the NIB in 1984 (and currently known as the Directorate of Internal Intelligence)."
The CIA and MI6 second work to the NIB on specific matters and have access to its registry on formal request. The official from CIA’s Colombo station who liases with the NIB (usually through the NIB’s additional director although there is a section head in there who deals with foreign missions) holds the position of ‘regional security officer’ – an ‘unlisted post’ in the US embassy.



(The CIA station chief in Colombo is the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US embassy) The CIA station in New Delhi also liases with the DII on specific projects. The world’s largest intelligence organization, the National Security Agency (NSA), has a presence in Colombo and works through the US army/Defense Intelligence Agency office in the US mission in Colombo. The level of its operations is not clear.
the problem is that any country(usa or india)willing to enter into a strategic agreement with srilanka would have to be willing and ready to deal with the liberation tigers of tamil ealam ,who would not take this strategic partnership kindly and would consider it as a threat to their goal of sovereignity(the ltte is one of the best equipped,trained and motivated terrorist force in the world almost as good as the al qaeda),they would definitely launch harrasment attacks on the the us and lankan strategic installations (mostly suicide attacks ,in which they are masters),usa already has its arms full with alqaeda and now added to that would be the ltte.
these consiederations are the reasons why india is still carefully evaluating the a similiar srilankan proposal for strategic alliance(india stands to gain more than usa if it enters to such an alliance with srilanka).the bases you have mentioned ,palaly(in northern srilanka ,which is an excellent airforce base and trincomallee in southern srilanka ,which is one of the best naval bases in the world) are both in the ltte's claim area and zones of influence.india is currently planning to expand ,upgrade and jointly use the palaly airbase with srilanka(the ltte factor is delaying it),since these two bases are frequently targetted by the ltte's forces.so usa will have to be very carefull if it want to set its feet in srilanka.
:coffee
 
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toyya

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  • #3
USA wanted to sign a cross service agreement with sri lanka .. the india asked sri lanka not to sign the pact and instead tht india would sign a defence pact with sri lanka .... but since then the tamil community in india has been against it and had been delayed since .... now sri lanka is reconsidering the options with USA and even china (from what i hear )...
 

aaaditya

New Member
toyya said:
USA wanted to sign a cross service agreement with sri lanka .. the india asked sri lanka not to sign the pact and instead tht india would sign a defence pact with sri lanka .... but since then the tamil community in india has been against it and had been delayed since .... now sri lanka is reconsidering the options with USA and even china (from what i hear )...
i belong to the tamil community and i can assure you that there is no sympathy here for the ltte.india has already implemented some aspects of the strategic relationship ,in the first phase they have set up an oil farm(indian oil in joint collaboration with sri lanka's largest petroleum manufacturer)along with retail outlets.the more intense relationships like armed forces cooperation require more indepth planning and analysis after all indian's have bitter experience of the operation pawan involving the ipkf.
so it will take time but iam sure it will definitely come throug,srilanka requested india for the supply of low level radars ,surface to air missiles and air defence guns(indians are still considering these requests),srilankan army chief arrived in india yesterday to hold high level talks with the indian army chief.:coffee
 

toyya

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  • #5
cool .. i think we got the radars from israel and also from pakistan .. this was needed cause of the air devolopements of the LTTE ... its nice to hear tht the tamil community of india is against the LTTE ... :)
 

aaaditya

New Member
toyya said:
cool .. i think we got the radars from israel and also from pakistan .. this was needed cause of the air devolopements of the LTTE ... its nice to hear tht the tamil community of india is against the LTTE ... :)
they were hated the moment they killed the indian prime minister in tamil nadu(he was highly loved and respected by the people)besides killing a large number of inncocent people
 

toyya

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  • #7
ya but remember it ws indias fault the LTTE is surviving ... when the sri lankan army was finishing Operation Vadamarachi , the tamil community in india put pressure in te indian govt. to intervine .. and after that there was a battle at sea which the sri lankan navy won ... but then the inidan air force dropped humanatarian aid in jaffna and then the IPKF was offered .. the president then JR Jayawardena accepted it ... quoting "let the pig eat its own pork" ....after tht mistake india made only the LTTE had a second chance...
 
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