But Gen Allen said that the idea of no American military presence in the country was not an option, and that he had not even been asked to look at its feasibility.

BBC: Afghan Isaf commander John Allen sees 'road to winning'

"Algeria's not a country that would feel comfortable relying on foreign security forces to help liberate the hostages, and that's because of this deep-seated feeling that there should be no foreign military presence in the country, " said Robert Parks, director of the Centre for North African Studies in Algeria.

BBC: Algerian reaction to raid rooted in history

Mr Trenin says that what Russia wants is a buffer zone, with no American military bases or NATO presence.

ECONOMIST: Russian-American relations

He said Cuba had no plans to beef up its military presence near the Guantanamo Bay base in response to the increase in U.S. personnel needed to watch the detainees.

CNN: Pentagon defends treatment of detainees

With the regime of Saddam Hussein gone and Iraq no longer a presumed threat to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the U.S. military presence in those two countries likely would diminish.

CNN: U.S. eyes future bases in Iraq

It is no small irony, therefore, that the presence of the REAL ID provisions on the military's supplemental funding bill is being cited by the Senate parliamentarian as grounds for Senator Larry Craig, Republican of Idaho, to try to attach to it legislation that would help eviscerate what currently passes for restrictions on illegal immigration.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Amnesty by any other name