Trump wants to withdraw 20,000 troops from Europe

aa.com ^

[Cronos]

"we should withdraw all troops from eastern Europe"

The USA has no troops in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe = Russia, Belarus, Ukraine.

And yes, the EU should pay costs for American troops stationed in EU countries (not all European countries are in the EU)

[Cronos]

I will point out 2 historical examples:

1. The Romans provided “Arabs” like the Ghassanids and Lakamanids (who lived in what is now Syria and southern Iraq) and protected them from Sassanid Persians. But then, in 602, Roman power waned and the Persians came and took everything, even conquering Jerusalem. The Arabs then united and ran over the Persians AND most of the Roman empire (and then, 100 years later created Islam as we know and love (/sarcasm off) today)

2. The British in their colonies were first keeping the peace with their soldiers. But then during the 7 years war (the French and Indian war), they got American militia to join in. The Americans then used this to unite and toss out the Brits.

Having American troops in European countries ensured that the USA would not have a united European rival

[Cronos]

Not quite - the election in 2023 was split between

• The "united right" - led by the (PiS) Law&Justice party who are socially right, economically left
• The KO - citizen's coalition - socially left (and getting more left, think Dems in the mid 90s) and economically right-ISH
• Trzecia Droga (3rd way) - socially right, economically center
• konfederacja = socially and economically right
• Lewica (LEFT) = socially and economically left

KO has devolved into a personality cult, while by recent polls the Left has gone below the 5% threshold needed to get into the next parliament.

Anyway - so around one third of the electorate ARE left, while around 42% are right and the THIRD WAY guys are generally people who would vote right socially, but think that PiS got corrupt or that it is not morally right to vote for Konfederacja.

so, the situation is a bit more nuanced.

[Cronos]

Poland is setting up deeper military ties with the Baltic states, Hungary etc.

What the USA can provide is a minimum of troops - 1 battalion spread over the countries as a deterrent - to make the Kremlin not risk a full scale attack. THAT would really help.

Poland should defend itself, but if a war can be prevented by having a big stick, then that’s better.

[Joe Boucher]

Bring them home.
Put half on our southern border the other half on our northern border.
For too long we have insured peace in Europe and Asia.
Unappreciated and we pay for most of it.

[CarolinaReaganFan]

that’s not eastern europe by any American definition.
Trump should withdraw all US troops from former soviet bloc countries.
#MAGA

[Cronos]

Eastern Europe is Russia + Ukraine + Belarus.

The former soviet bloc countries were primarily in Central Europe and southern Europe