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Busy U.S. Base Unsettles Some in Spain

What was once a sleepy little airbase in southern Spain is now the busiest base in the U.S. Air Force. The Moron base is the main transit point between the United States and Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands of tons of war supplies, tanker planes and squadrons of fighters now pass through Moron.

The base is a vital link in the U.S. supply chain -- but it's not very popular with many Spaniards. The Spanish public is vehemently opposed to the war in Iraq. As a result, the increased activity by American forces has sparked protests.

Spanish troops out of Iraq, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has made opposition to the war in Iraq a cornerstone of his foreign policy. Zapatero has given no indication of wanting to close the bases. And despite local protests and the far left's campaign to close them, most Spaniards seem resigned to their presence.

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