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“The United States has over 700 military bases on foreign soil in sovereign countries, where we have no declaration of war. (Occupation/Preoccupation) seeks to gather covers by American musicians of songs that originate from each of these places.” –occupationpreoccupation.org

Brian Mumford of Dragging an Ox Through Water‘s ambitious new project Occupation/Preoccupation is an inspiring example of music’s potential to mobilize people into political action. In protest of the hundreds of American military occupations throughout the planet, Mumford and others are actively organizing musicians to speak out against unnecessary military interventions by covering songs indigenous to those affected regions.

The newest addition to the project, “The Army Kills Its People,” is contributed by Mumford himself. The lyrics call attention to the constitutional monarchy of Bahrain (which is occupied by America’s 5th Naval Fleet), to whom the United States is considering the sale of $53 million of military equipment despite the regime’s violent repression of the Bahraini uprising‘s pro-democracy politics.

“This song by Saleh Al-Durazi was recommended to me by Bahraini activist Zainab Alkhawaja as one of her father’s favorites. This cover came into being with some extremely generous translation help (beautiful, direct and heavy lyrics).

I came into contact with the Zainab when, on Saturday April 19th, 2011, Masked Bahraini security forces broke into her home and severely beat her father Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent human rights activist, before taking him away unconscious along with Zainab’s husband and brother-in-law. As has been the case with much of the activity revolving around the “Arab Spring”, Zainab broadcast the details of the events minutes after they happened via twitter. I’d begun following her updates during this ordeal, and contacted her shortly afterward. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for his peaceful human rights activism by a Bahraini military court, a verdict which has sparked international outcry.” -Brian Mumford

LISTEN:

Dragging an Ox Through Water – “The Army Kills Its People” (originally performed by Saleh Al-Durazi)

Those interested in getting involved can contact Mumford at occupationpreoccupation@gmail.com

9 replies on “Occupation/Preoccupation”

  1. This is really mis-leading.
    Almost all of our bases outside US soil are on allied terrirtory. Germany. Great Britan, South Korea, Japan… and there for good reason with the backing of those governments.
    Here is the list of over 700…
    http://www.kelebekler.com/occ/bas_gb.htm
    But even this list is questionable at best. The Air Base listed in France is complete bullshit. France kicked NATO out years ago, and even wouldn’t let us fly over their airspace for the gulf war (resulting in stupid anti-French protests here – ‘freedom fries’ and all that)

  2. @frankieb – I’m curious what your point is? I’ve toured many of the major bases, and in Germany, Britain, South Korea, Japan, and others, the people don’t want us there. Only their governments do. These free countries don’t need “protection” from the Soviets anymore, and they’re tired of American GI’s harassing their women (and the prostitution), the pollution from the bases, and having an armed foreign military in their sovereign country.

    Anyways, I know Brian and his partner – their work is worth checking out.

  3. “The United States has over 700 military bases on foreign soil in sovereign countries, where we have no declaration of war.”
    I think one could better ask whats the point of making music about this?
    The position of people in foriegn countries is far more nuanced than I think you are aware of, in my own travels and experiences at least.
    I remember clearly, as a younger USAF man in Germany having a dinner with this cute old German couple, and asking him about how he felt about the US presence there. He told me that before the US was over there that Germany had a history of getting into wars every 30 years or something, and that since the US was there they hadn’t had war since WW2.
    True story. I also like to think the girlfriends I had over there didn’t mind my being there too much.
    Think of the Berlin Airlift too. Look at what happened to East Germany as opposed to West Germany because of our military there.
    I’ve always felt rather bad for the youth of those countries though, having to live with the our military there because of the mistakes of their parents though.
    And, I’m aware that especially in Japan on Okinawa that there have been shocking attacks on local girls.
    But evertime North Korea sends another missile into the seas by Japan they suddenly like us alot more.
    This doesn’t excuse raping girls, of course. Japan also has worries over China and claims over fishing rights, etc, and certainly welcomes us there for that reason too.
    I’m also pretty sure they don’t mind not having to spend so much of their own money on military protection they would have to incur by making larger militaries of their own.
    I’m sure your friend is a great guy and doing work he believes to be somehow helping awareness – but of what really I can’t say.
    I will take a listen though, as you asked.
    I’m still highly critical of this ‘700’ number though, from just a brief scan of the ‘bases’. I bet some lone radar set up counts as a ‘base’ to them.
    Also, we have been closing bases overseas for years now too. The base I was stationed on, Giebelstadt AAF, has been closed for years, as have many others.

  4. Oh, looking over that list again – they listed my old base, Giebelstadt AAF SEVERAL times, and the place has been closed for like 10 years now. Kitzingen AAF – closed… Leighton Barracks – CLOSED.
    These all closed about 10 years ago.
    And these are only the bases I am familiar with, as they were all located near to each other and I used to go to each of them to provide weather support.
    So, what is the real list look like I wonder?
    There were 2 bases in Kitzingen, Harvey and Larson barracks. Look for them on the list, as well as Kitzingen being listed as a base of itself, the family housing listed as a base, and the training area listed as a base – to go with Harvey and Larson.
    I’ve knocked down 10 off the list without going into any real investigation.
    The 700 number is waaayyy off.

  5. frankieb, it is probably still over 700. http://www.alternet.org/story/47998/ that article is from 2007 and it doesn’t seem that the US has been in a mad dash to liquidate its bases abroad since then. They cite Chalmers Johnson as a source. I visited their installation at TBA and they mentioned that they didn’t include it in the rough tally, but also accept research and submissions from regions where it can be gleaned from reputable sources that the CIA maintains secret prisons, torture facilities, etc.. Poznan Poland for example. Also: did not find the link you supplied for the 700 (http://www.kelebekler.com/occ/bas_gb.htm) anywhere in a quick scan of their site.. so it seems like you are debunking a source which you, not they, selected?

    (http://occupationpreoccupation.blogspot.com/2011/08/article-secret-war-in-120-countries.html – was about to hit send and found link to this even more recent article on military overstretch.)

  6. I looked up your link, saw the article, but i couldn’t find any list whatsoever naming all these bases.
    Did I miss something?
    The music project is citing over 700 military bases worldwide. Not secret CIA torture spots that may or may not exist.
    I tried your second link too – still no list of the over 700.
    So far, the only list I’ve found is the one I linked to, and just began debunking.

  7. Also, I have the impression that even if the number of US Military bases overseas were less than 100, then this 100 would still be too much in the eyes of the guy behind this project, Brian Mumford.
    My main point is that our military is a positive experience overall for the vast majority of the countries they are put in.

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