[Pan_Yan]

Politics over substance. Rummy seems pretty no nonsense about this.

1. The war on terror is being fought to the east of Germany. It makes sense to move your assets closer.

2. It is cheaper to operate in the Eastern European countries. Less rent, lower costs.

3. Lots of bases aren't moving, they are being closed. Keeping them open after they have passed their effectiveness is an extremely wasteful welfare program.

4. The point everyone else is making: Go where the local government is more friendly. In the 50's the French flat out asked us to leave. The Germany policies toward the U.S. have in some ways done the same.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks for your public service rant. I'd also like to point out to the Germans that THE US TAXPAYER was subsidizing his local economy, while his government was stabbing the US in the back at the UN.

I don't feel very friendly toward the Euroweenies right at this very moment.