1.   Earlier, during a stopover visit to Guam, Cheney had promised to consider closing the base.

2.   Several bases would be closed, and units concentrated in Buenos Aires would be redeployed to the provinces.

3.   Foreign bases can be closed without congressional approval.

4.   And Georgians say that closing the base in Batumi could lead to instability there.

5.   -- A commission was created to decide which military bases to close so that Congress would not face the pain of voting on them base by base.

6.   Acting Air Force Secretary Whitten Peters warned Friday that he might close military bases on his own authority if Congress ignores Pentagon requests for another round of base closures.

7.   Aldridge said the Pentagon would also look to close bases overseas, but under a different process that does not require Congressional approval.

8.   But the Clinton administration is already closing military bases in the United States and facing pressure to cut spending even further, and the U.S. response has been lukewarm.

9.   But the defense review will spark more debate than just the question of which bases to close.

10.   But with the military trying to close more bases around the country, even that benefit was disappearing.