# Wait, Israel has bases in Kirdistan and Azerbaijan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969 "2010-07-16T22:42:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/1 "2010-07-16T22:42:37Z")
I was just reading [this](http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/israel+rearms+ready+for+war+with+iran/3713487) article about a potential future attack on Iran by Israel. Nothing too earth shattering except this tidbit: > [@](#): > > It also has a large fleet of unmanned drones, some of them long-range and able to carry bombs and missiles, and **is very likely to be in a position to use facilities in Kurdish Iraq and Azerbaijan, both bordering Iran**. Are there really bases for Israel to use in Kurdish Iraq and Azerbaijan ? How’s that work ? I figured no one in the region (or any other Muslim country) would give them the time of day, let alone bases for their drones to use. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/2 "2010-07-16T23:18:46Z")
I think those are American bases that the US would theoretically allow Israel to use. Personally, I think that that’s pretty alarmist. I really doubt the US would allow Israel to use their bases to attack Iran. A war in Iran is not in the US’ best interests. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/3 "2010-07-17T16:16:50Z")
Interesting map of U.S. presence in the area surrounding Iran: [http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/4 "2010-07-17T16:19:03Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Interesting map of U.S. presence in the area surrounding Iran: [http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg) Hmm…only one more circle to go, it seems… ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/5 "2010-07-17T16:27:41Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Interesting map of U.S. presence in the area surrounding Iran: [http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/XIHxt.jpg) That map is incorrect, which is likely why it looks so amateurish and general. The US does not have any bases anymore in Saudi Arabia, nor does it have any bases in Turkmenistan, the UAE, Oman or Azerbaijan. The US does have a base (Manas Transit Center) in Kyrygyzstan as well as bases in Qatar, Bahrain, and Djibouti. There are very few US personnel in Pakistan and nothing that could really be characterized as a base for US military forces. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/6 "2010-07-17T17:12:50Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I think those are American bases that the US would theoretically allow Israel to use. I have trouble believing that the agreements allowing the bases in those countries allow the US to let third parties to launch strikes against a fourth country. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/7 "2010-07-17T17:51:12Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I have trouble believing that the agreements allowing the bases in those countries allow the US to let third parties to launch strikes against a fourth country. You may be right - I honestly don’t know how those agreements are run. What I seriously doubt is that Israel has bases in the countries in question. I’m tempted to email the writer of the article to ask him/her what they meant. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/8 "2010-07-17T18:32:21Z")
Israel does have fairly good relationships with Azerbaijan and the Kurds, though. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/9 "2010-07-17T20:48:47Z")
Many Sunni Arab nations in the Mideast are fearful of Iran’s radical Shia, particularly Egypt. [http://www.haaretz.com/news/peres-clash-between-iran-sunni-arabs-is-inevitable-1.274050](http://www.haaretz.com/news/peres-clash-between-iran-sunni-arabs-is-inevitable-1.274050) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-israel-has-bases-in-kirdistan-and-azerbaijan/546969/10 "2010-07-17T22:41:41Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Israel does have fairly good relationships with Azerbaijan and the Kurds, though. It’s been Israeli policy for decades to foster close relations with other non-Arab groups in the Middle East.