Paratroopers with the 173rd Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) get artillery rounds ready for an artillery live-fire exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2018. MARTIN EGNASH/STARS AND STRIPES
DW: US considering troop withdrawal from Germany, report says
EU officials are reportedly trying to figure out if a US evaluation of the impact of moving troops from Germany is a negotiating ploy ahead of a NATO summit in July. The US Department of Defense has rejected the claims.
The US Department of Defense is examining options for withdrawing US forces stationed in Germany after President Donald Trump expressed interest in such a move, The Washington Post reported on Friday.
The newspaper, citing anonymous sources familiar with the evaluation, said officials were analyzing the cost and consequences of shifting either some or all 35,000 US troops to the US or Poland. Top defense officials, the paper said, have not been involved in the analysis.
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WNU Editor: The White House is saying that they did not order this review .... Pentagon: White House did not request plan to withdraw Germany troops (Washington Examiner). So who did? My guess is that there is some truth to this report .... Trump was reportedly surprised by the number of US troops stationed in Germany and expressed interest in pulling some of them out (Business Insider).
What's my take .... there is a problem here. NATO is important, and the U.S. role and participation is vital. But how can one take the alliance seriously when countries like Germany are not interested in spending the necessary money and political capital to maintain it. In this context, a review on the entire NATO alliance is (unfortunately) necessary.
More News On Reports That The U.S. Is Considering Troop Withdrawals From Germany
U.S. assessing cost of keeping troops in Germany as Trump battles with Europe -- Washington Post
US Mulls Pulling Troops From Germany as Trump-Merkel Tensions Mount - Reports -- Sputnik
Is Trump Out To Dismantle NATO? -- Tom Ricks, Task & Purpose
