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US Bases in Germany will be closed
Die Welt am Sonntag
| 12-13-2003
| Americanbychoice
Posted on 12/13/2003 8:49:36 AM PST by americanbychoice
Minister of Defense, Peter Struck has announced the closing of military bases and a decrease of American Soldiers in Germany. Their State Departement, Defence Ministry and American representatives are building a "Work group", announced Struck to Die Welt am Sonntag. After that,the American Secretary of Defense and Congress will decide in the Spring.
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: militarybases
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To: americanbychoice
It is about time. We should put the closure of US bases on hold, bring 99% of our ground forces (and their dependents) home and shift some of our Air Force elements and bases currently in Germany to countries such as Poland and Hungary. In Hungary, for example, we've already funded significant improvements to an air base in Taszar.
41
posted on
12/13/2003 10:08:22 AM PST
by
caltrop
To: meenie
"The defense of Europe was part of our strategy of keeping a wary eye on the Germans and preventing a resurgence of their militarism."
If you haven't noticed they are 0-2 in the last century. What a joke.
42
posted on
12/13/2003 10:09:24 AM PST
by
Beck_isright
(This tag line edited by the 9th Circuit Court due to offensive political commentary)
To: americanbychoice
bttt
To: FreeReign
Most of our units based in Europe are already either in or rotating out of Iraq or Afghanistan. I don't think our departure gains us any US boots on the ground. As I recall, we've something like 75,000 GIs in Europe, most in Germany. The cost of maintaining them and their families is gigantic.
44
posted on
12/13/2003 10:11:26 AM PST
by
caltrop
To: americanbychoice
I much agree.
Though it will probably hasten their hostility against us.
They are evidently slated to rush to GGT sooner.
45
posted on
12/13/2003 10:12:55 AM PST
by
Quix
(Choose this day whom U will serve: Shrillery & demonic goons or The King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
To: meenie
Allies are getting pretty scarce unless we can buy their support.You got that right. We have to pay big taxpayer dollars to buy "friends" today. Spain and Poland are basically whore governments who sell themselves to the highest bidder. Stop paying them and they go looking for someone who will. France, Germany and Russia are just going to sit there and watch us self-destruct in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Richard W.
46
posted on
12/13/2003 10:15:41 AM PST
by
arete
(Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.)
To: meenie
we have allies. Poland, Spain, Italy to name but a few. And the list is growing.
Don't believe or let yourself be swayed by the emphasis placed on the importance of having a France, Germany or Russia on our side. That these nations currently have a stronger potential by virtue of their economies or traditional strength isn't the issue - the meat of the matter at hand is that this War on Terror is a war of wills first and foremost.
Think of it this way - we're still in the trees (of the current conflict) and have not yet had sufficient time/distance to put us more into a "forest" perspective. To continue this metaphor, we see trees that previously were thought to be healthy (ie: our relationships with FRG) that now aren't; but other trees we're not used to observing (Eastern & Mediterranean Europe) grow healthy and strong.
Metaphors or other figures of speech ultimately only have value, though, in the "soundbite" impact (and ease of ingestion in our Instant-MacDonalds multi-tasked attention span world); so here's my own soundbite:
This is War.
America has been awakened.
America fights this war humanely.
America's leader, President Bush, appeals to (what little glimmer remains of...) decency among old-europe nations to do the right thing.
But no matter what... America will defeat our enemies and if need be, utterly destroy them.
(I know, not much of a soundbite, but I've never been one for coalescing complex life-or-death issues into a smarmy, 15-word-or-less statement that's universally understood and accepted)
CGVet58
47
posted on
12/13/2003 10:17:11 AM PST
by
CGVet58
(For my fellow Americans; my life... for our enemies; The Sword!!!)
To: Pan_Yans Wife
I vote for new American bases in Poland.Hear, hear! Hungary is nice too... they love Americans and it's dirt cheap. Lake Balaton, anyone?
48
posted on
12/13/2003 10:18:31 AM PST
by
Terabitten
(Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of All Who Threaten It)
To: meenie
Allies are getting pretty scarce unless we can buy their support.
Allies? Germany and France? Where did you ever get that idea?
49
posted on
12/13/2003 10:19:40 AM PST
by
aruanan
To: FRMAG
Only problem I see is the cost of troop infrastructure. Whole installations built to American standards from the road surfaces and up then the costs of of the logistics. It will be staggering.
From what I've read the new bases won't be for long term deployments to include family members like in Germany. That means no dependent schools and family housing. That will make it much easier to base these soldiers. Boy, I wish I wasn't so close to retirement, I'd love to do a short tour in Poland, or the Czech Republic. The girls there are much cuter than Bavarians.
50
posted on
12/13/2003 10:30:15 AM PST
by
Tailback
To: Tailback
The girls there are much cuter than Bavarians What? You don't like the butter-knife haircut, no make up look?
51
posted on
12/13/2003 10:31:41 AM PST
by
riri
To: joesnuffy
Having been stationed in Italy for a few years I suggest that we keep that country on our stay list. Good central location with the Alps and the Dolomites as a shit filter to the north and water barrier / ports for the rest of Ft Italia ! Airbases and Airborne safehaven.
With Poland, England and Italy Allies the Europeeing's will live up to their moniker.........:o)
Stay Safe !
52
posted on
12/13/2003 10:42:13 AM PST
by
Squantos
(Support Mental Health !........or........ I'LL KILL YOU !!!!)
To: blanknoone
We can keep an eye on their militarism from Poland. We can keep an eye on them from anywhere. We proved in Desert Storm and again in Iraq that we can deplay a LOT of resources quickly if need be.
Besides, Germany can't re-arm itself with a socialist economy.
53
posted on
12/13/2003 10:45:07 AM PST
by
freedumb2003
(Peace through Strength)
To: CGVet58
But no matter what... America will defeat our enemies and if need be, utterly destroy them.Just like we did in Viet Nam? We sure kicked those rice eating, pj wearing shoeless uneducated commies around there now didn't we?
Richard W.
54
posted on
12/13/2003 10:45:20 AM PST
by
arete
(Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.)
To: dts32041
To: CGVet58
but I've never been one for coalescing complex life-or-death issues into a smarmy, 15-word-or-less Them bad
Us good
Them die
We live
It's simplistic and jingoistic but look at the word economy! ;)
56
posted on
12/13/2003 10:47:47 AM PST
by
freedumb2003
(Peace through Strength)
To: americanbychoice
A very perceptive observation. Actually, though, such a ''revolution'' would more likely follow the lines of devolution, i.e. ''We quit'', leaving the EU with just the froggies, the Germans, and assorted hangers-on. Let's face it, after 40-50 years of being under the welfare-state thumb, the average Western Euroweenie has about as much appetite for revolution as a house cat. The old East European nations, just now developing (finally) for the first time, are harder to predict here.
A more interesting notion, possibly a bit farfetched just now, is that the resigning nations might form what amounts to their own second ''EU'', as a competing bloc.
57
posted on
12/13/2003 10:52:14 AM PST
by
SAJ
To: FreeReign
Germany is going down. This is sad.
58
posted on
12/13/2003 10:54:32 AM PST
by
tessalu
To: Enterprise
A triple whammy, truly. The froggies and Germans are deluding themselves if they think they're EVER going to collect more than 5-10 cents on the dollar of what Hussein's regime owed them...and the sum is upwards of $50 B.
59
posted on
12/13/2003 10:54:50 AM PST
by
SAJ
To: americanbychoice
The title of the thread should be "
Some US Military Bases in Germany to Close."
These will mostly be Army installations. The Air Force base at Rhein Main will completely close in 2005, but that has been agreed to for several years now. Ramstein and Spang Air Bases will remain.
The bottom line is that the US will still have a very large military presence in Germany for years to come.
60
posted on
12/13/2003 10:59:23 AM PST
by
SkyPilot
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