Australia could one day allow U.S. spy flights to operate from a remote Indian Ocean island, Defense Minister Stephen Smith confirmed on Wednesday, supporting the U.S. pivot to Asia but likely upsetting Australia's biggest trading partner, China. ...
"We view Cocos as being potentially a long term strategic location. But that is down the track," Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
The Washington Post said the Pentagon was interested in using Cocos Islands, a series of atolls about 3,000 km (1,800 miles) west of Australia and south of Indonesia, as a new base for surveillance aircraft and allowing spy flights over the South China Sea.
I'm not sure I was even aware of the Cocos Islands as a potential asset. Sounds good to me. Heck, I'm still waiting for us to upgrade Wake Island.
