Increasingly, indeed, after the one-year period (October, 2007 to October, 2008) during which the African Command will remain based in Stuttgart, Germany under the temporary gaze of EUCOM, it seems likely that AFRICOM headquarters will be placed in an African location.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: AFRICOM proceeds apace

"It seems there's going to be some kind of temporary stopgap agreement between Washington and Baghdad that will give the U.S. some kind of temporary legal cover to remain in Iraq, " NPR Defense Correspondent Guy Raz tells Michele Norris.

NPR: U.S., Iraq Agree On 'Time Horizon' For Withdrawal

Or is it farsighted planning to provide resources in exactly the kind of a temporary Strait of Hormuz emergency that now seems entirely possible.

FORBES: Drillers And Canadians Heading Higher