▁the ▁US ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁hosting ▁a ▁def ensive ▁communic ations ▁base . ▁This ▁agreement ▁was ▁to ▁last ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁years , ▁with ▁an ▁additional ▁ 2 0 - year ▁extension ▁if ▁neither ▁party ▁wished ▁to ▁withdraw . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁all ▁ 1 , 6 0 0 ▁island ers ▁were ▁ev acu ated , ▁and ▁Diego ▁Gar cia ▁continues ▁to ▁play ▁a ▁vital ▁role ▁in ▁US ▁military ▁operations . ▁Following ▁a ▁billion - d ollar ▁expansion ▁program , ▁the ▁base ▁has ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁" b om ber ▁forward ▁operating ▁location " ▁for ▁off ensive ▁operations ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁and ▁Ira q . ▁A ▁US ▁State ▁Department ▁letter ▁dated ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁an ▁" all ▁but ▁ind isp ens able ▁platform ". ▁ ▁B anc ou lt ▁( No ▁ 1 ) ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Oliv ier ▁B anc ou lt , ▁a ▁native ▁Ch ag oss ian ▁and ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ag os ▁Ref uge es ▁Group , ▁brought ▁a ▁jud icial ▁review ▁claim ▁against ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Foreign ▁and ▁Commonwealth ▁Affairs ▁for ▁the ▁initial ▁ordin ance ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁Ch ag oss ian ▁removal . ▁B anc ou lt ▁sought ▁a ▁writ ▁of ▁cert ior ari ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁that ▁the ▁ordin ance ▁was ▁ult ra ▁v ires ▁and ▁failed ▁the ▁Wed nes bury ▁test ▁of ▁reason ab len