Posted on 07/01/2005 3:09:54 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 30, 2005) – Germany showed its commitment to the U.S. Army when its embassy officials presented the nation’s second-highest service award June 29 to an American general.
German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger presented Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s commanding general, with the Federal Republic of Germany’s Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit at a ceremony. The award was presented to Byrnes on behalf of Germany’s Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
“We are truly thankful for his personal commitment, which was the driving force of intensified positive military relations between the United States of America and Germany,” said Col. Heinz Feldmann, Army attaché to the German embassy.
Byrnes, who assumed the duties of TRADOC commander in 2002, works with the German Army Liaison Organization, also located at Fort Monroe, Va.
Feldman said that over the past few years, joint projects initiated and supported by Byrnes enabled them to reach a level of comprehensive bi-lateral cooperation that is of paramount importance to the German Army and “a strong pillar of the transatlantic bridge.”
“In times that were difficult for both armies, he proved to be a true friend by appreciating Germany’s points of view, and maintaining a high level of mutual relations. Inspiring fresh initiatives with a professional touch, he focused on maintaining and improving interoperability between our forces,” Feldmann said.
“This impacts our Army because it underscores the continuing strong cooperation and mutual support between the German and American armies,” Byrnes said.
Byrnes stressed that the two armies have been together for a very long time supporting past missions associated with the Cold War, and will continue to take on future missions together in a post-Cold War era.
“The future is about multinational operations. We need to focus on training, leadership development and command and control,” he added.
He explained both armies work together everyday, and although the mutual cooperation is not prominent in the press, it is the expectation of American and German citizens.
“We should all be proud of the work accomplished behind the scenes. We show that in times of conflict, we can work together to accomplish the mission and secure our citizens’ privileges,” Byrnes said.
Feldman said, “We’re fighting the war on terrorism with America too – our Soldiers total 2,000 in Afghanistan. It’s paramount that Germany has the support of and access to the U.S. Army.”
Hubertus von Puttkamer, rear admiral defense attaché, said personal contact is essential to good relations with a country.
“Many people here have relatives or friends in Germany. Those personal connections unite us,” von Puttkamer said. “The bonds between Germany and America are very strong.
“Our friendship is a reflection of the heart, which is more important than the brain - we will continue to express our heartfelt loyalty to one another.”
Qvagmiah!
Well said.
And I guess that all those clever hookers will have to go on German welfare, when we finally leave.
Bite me Germany! (beißen Sie mich Deutschland)
They are called sex workers. They will survive and continue to minister to the needs of the Germans and tourists. They also have to pay taxes.
How long before various EU countries decide they'd prefer to be part of an enlarged One Happy Hemisphere? We're doomed.
Thanks for the ping!
You must be really impressed by yourself! You know that Germany is larger than the few small towns you visited? You know that Germany is larger than Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate where the US has bases?
Get real, Mr. Important.
Hi, please do me a favor and read the article. And then read the comments. Can you explain me how they came to the troops-pullout or the importance of US troops in Germany? Can you imagine that we award people just to stop a already proclaimed withdrawal of forces?
How self-conscious or better naive is that?? Tell me whether you smiled or not about the comments. Thanks in advance and sorry for stealing your time. :)
National defense against whom - the French and the Poles? ROFL.
"...The Germans have a large economy, but not necessarily a strong one with double digit unemployment and low growth. Germany's problem is an aging, declining population that must cope with a social welfare system it can't afford. Also, the Germans have to deal with the massive expenditures necessary to bring the former East Germany up to the level of West Germany, which still hasn't been done..."
You are right - those topics are the real German problem. We have practically no difficulties with the actual closing of the US-Bases. There are some local economical effects around the affected facilities, but in fact the American drawback is no big thing in German politics and media. Since the threat of the Sowjet-Union doesn't exist anymore, there is absolutely no need for such a big presence of US-millitary in central Europe anymore. This has nothing to do with the troubled relationship between the current German gouvernment and the US-administration, it has to do with the loss of strategical importance in millitary aspects of the former borderline between east and west. In fact it would be a waste of the money of american taxpayers to keep up the US-presence in the current amount. This in well understood among the German people.
"...The US spends more on defense than the rest of NATO combined. I agree that it is time to get the rest of the world off of security welfare provided by the US..."
I doubt that somebody important in Europe is willing to spend a comparable share to the proportion between millitary-buget and GNP in the US on defense. It doesn't matter if you take "old" Europe or the "new" one, the people who elect their leaders just do not see the necessity. The will to lead the world to more democracy and freedom with millitary means just doesn't exist. On one hand Europe is still thinking, that peace can be bought, on the other hand the people are fed up with war and violence. A quite different view compared to America. Personally I think that the truth lies in the middle.
I agree that the European populace is unwilling to spend anywhere near on defense as what the US spends as a percentage of GDP. They don't see the necessity because the world's lone superpower is footing the bill. We have been providing the security umbrella for Europe for 60 years. Unfortunately, Europe no longer has a global perspective and sees defense and security as regional matters.
Communist China is a looming threat, along with global terrorism fueled by Islamic fundamentalism. Europe is selling arms and technology to China, a potential enemy. France was in bed with Iraq bought off by the illegal proceeds from the Oil for Food program. Unless Europe is willing to assist the US materially in promoting freedom and democracy globally and defeating global terrorism, it will become less and less relevant to the US.
The will to lead the world to more democracy and freedom with millitary means just doesn't exist. On one hand Europe is still thinking, that peace can be bought, on the other hand the people are fed up with war and violence. A quite different view compared to America. Personally I think that the truth lies in the middle.
It is not a matter of leading the world to more democracy and freedom though military means. Unfortunately, unless we have military power and the ability to project it globally to support our policies, you can't lead effectively. Does anyone think that China would have already invaded Taiwan by now if the US didn't have the military power to prevent it? Europe couldn't even stop ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo without the US shouldering the major part of the fighting.
Europe has been living in a fantasy world since the end of WWII. The US security umbrella has created the illusion that world and regional bodies along with treaties can govern world affairs. They fail to grasp the fact that these agreements and international bodies would be toothless without US support.
In terms of Europeans believing that peace can be bought, it is instructive to recognize that the US is the biggest contributor economically, in absolute terms, to world bodies and foreign aid. The US is footing most of the bill economically as well as militarily.
Fed up with war and violence? Since WWII, it has been the US sacrificing its blood and treasure the most in defense of freedom around the world. The Europeans have a hard time meeting its miniscule military requirements in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. If anyone should be fed up with war and violence, it is the Americans. Unfortunately, there is no one else willing to shoulder part of the load. That is the real truth.
"...Unfortunately, Europe no longer has a global perspective and sees defense and security as regional matters..."
You are right. The bitter truth -from the American point of view- is, that most European nations do not have enough own global interests to join into American objectives, witch are driven from a will to worldwide leadership. Only the French and the Brits think in global dimensions due to their colonial history. The vast majority of my compatriots, the Germans, have absolutely no intenion that our country should play a bigger international role. The new plans to restructure the German Army, the Bundeswehr, from a terriorial force into a more mobile intervention army, is seen extremly sceptical by most Germans. The "bonmot" of our secretary of defense Struck, that Germany is defended in the Hindukusch caused hours of laughter in all German comedy shows... Even the attempt to bring Germany into the SC of the UN is not supported by most of the informed political German class, because everybody knows, that this would cause much more involvement in unpopular actions. There would be absolutely no benefit. Since WWII Germans have no appetite in playing a strong millitary force anymore.
The other bitter truth will be that the gouvernment in Germany will change and the relationship with the US will get better soon, although there will be -exect of some lip-service- still no real contribution to the American WOT in the next few years. In the sight of all German politicians there is no necessity to spend a lot on millitary, as long they do not want to use it on foreign soil. Since there is no real threat in Europe anymore that would be a millitary problem to western Europeans, it is wasted money to invest too much in weapons and armys that are not needed. In fact it doesn't bother anybody in Europe, if we are politically more or less relevant to the US as long we can sell our goods throughout the world and keep our standart of living. This is going to be be the biggest challenge to the coming more conservative and America-friendly gouvernments in France and Germany. The WOT will be no issue to them.
Regretably, that is the case. It is germane to the US however, if Europe sells advanced technology and arms to our potential enemies. The WOT should be of concern to France and Germany with the growing population of Muslims in both countries combined with declining birthrates. At the very least, both countries could be havens for terrorists, as was the case with the Hamburg al-Qaeda cell and the attack of 9/11. At worst, the cultures of both countries will transformed and political power will be shifted more and more to Muslim elements, which resist assimilation.
It is unfortunate what has happened to German-American relations since the Schroeder government took over. Some of it could be predicted with a declining American presence and the end of the Cold War, but the SPD has been using anti-Americanism to push their domestic political agenda.
My wife is from Koln. I lived four years in Berlin (1983-87) before the wall came down. I hope the probable upcoming defeat of the SPD can change the tenor of our current relationship with Germany. The French are hopeless.
BUH-BYE, HANS!
BUH-BYE, FRITZ!
Perhaps you can get France to move their Army into those barracks that our soldiers will soon have no use for.
RIGHT ON!!!
Actually, no, it´s not "real" enough for me, since you have lost touch with reality. I couldn´t ride a bike when you "lived" in Germany, but I know how this country looks like today.
Some towns will suffer a lot, sure, but this hardly affects the state and by far noone on the federal level cares about it. The stats simply make all your points ridiculous. From 75,000 about the half GI´s will leave. So what? The last cut of the German army was larger, and nobody cared.
Who are you that you think we would honor people just to stop a troop pullout? Who do you think we are that we would even believe such an award could influence the American decision? LOL. Can´t imagine that we honor people just because they helped improve German-American relations - something I can´t expect from you, can I?
This is a hoot! I had four assignments in Germany over several decades. In 1990, when the Cold War was over, the Germans couldn't wait to get rid of us. Most of the older people still liked Americans, but the younger ones were arrogant. I remember seeing "Amis Go Home!" spraypainted on an overpass in the town where I was stationed. Well, we did go home, and we took our money with us. Sounds like Hans and Fritz would love to have the nasty old Amis back, along with their nasty old Ami money.
I for one am looking forward to the last American soldier leaving Germany, and the standing up of the following commands: U.S. Army Poland, U.S. Army Bulgaria, and U.S. Army Romania. Those countries deserve our money. The Germans don't.
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