lily pad
n.— «Among the places the military already has placed or hopes to base such new “lily pads” or jumping off points: the eastern European nations of Bulgaria and Romania; a pier in Singapore; and a tiny island off the oil-rich coast of West Africa.» —“U.S. expands military outposts worldwide” in Washington, D.C. MSNBC Sept. 22, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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