'Ami Go Home'

Tech Central Station ^ | August 20, 2004 | Tom Goeller

[quidnunc]

On August 16, President George W. Bush announced a plan to restructure US military forces abroad significantly. Bush said the realignment would bring up to 70,000 troops and about 100,000 family members and civilian workers back to the United States within a decade.

The decision will have a profound effect on the reluctant NATO ally Germany - which is host to the biggest American overseas contingent outside Iraq. But Germany, which maintains with 250,000 of its own troops by far the biggest army in Europe, does not need another 70,000 American troops to secure its borders. Germany is not at war. And the Cold War has been over for 14 years. There is no threat anymore of a land invasion from the Soviet Union. So, the intention of reducing the number of US troops in Germany makes sense in many respects and would represent an overdue adaptation to reality.

However, the consequences of such a significant troop withdrawal have a couple of downsides, too, most of all for the Germans. One mostly overlooked but important side effect is the departure of the US troops themselves. With their visible presence of African-Americans and immigrants from Asia and Latin America, they enriched the German shopping malls and restaurants, representing a multi-ethnic society. If they are gone, German society will lose a bit of color, so to speak. This step will play into the hands of right wing xenophobes whose aim is to purify the German nation. Here, by accident, the goal of the Neo-Nazis and the one of the German socialists coincides.

-snip-

[annyokie]

We leavin'! I love it! ADT, too.

[coconutt2000]

This guy must be reading from the same talking points I got...

[Prime Choice]

If they are gone, German society will lose a bit of color, so to speak. This step will play into the hands of right wing xenophobes whose aim is to purify the German nation.

Well, then that will be a problem for the German government. Last I saw, the Leftists were always whining that we're not supposed to interfere with other "cultures" (and I use that term very loosely here).

[theDentist]

*IF* we were to pull out of Germany, it is my hope that we would also have left Frahnce [/snooty], and as we leave we would remind them (Germany) that we will not return to save Frahnce's [/snooty] ass again from any conquering nation.

Oh, and we'd also mention to them that the French think German beer is ****.

[Salamander]

"whose aim is to purify the German nation."

Oh, gee.
Well *that's* never been attempted before so I reckon the French will be just fine. [/sarcasm]....;)

[Porterville]

However, the consequences of such a significant troop withdrawal have a couple of downsides, too, most of all for the Germans. One mostly overlooked but important side effect is the departure of the US troops themselves. With their visible presence of African-Americans and immigrants from Asia and Latin America, they enriched the German shopping malls and restaurants, representing a multi-ethnic society. If they are gone, German society will lose a bit of color, so to speak. This step will play into the hands of right wing xenophobes whose aim is to purify the German nation. Here, by accident, the goal of the Neo-Nazis and the one of the German socialists coincides.

You've got to be F^^^n' me.... these guy are nuts.

[blanknoone]

This is the single weakest most worthless article on our boys coming home that I have read.

It hurts Germany because they won't have black people around?!? It was pathetic and very poorly thought out.

[Happy2BMe]

BUMP (Why was the article excerpted?)