I think his intention (probably after he returns to the WH), is to task the Pentagon to refigure it’s worldwide footprint (not just South Korea).
What I’ll predict is that you see 25-percent of the US forces in SK gone by the fall of 2019. Some might end up in Alaska or Guam, and the rest probably start to be put to tasks along the US border (posts/bases in NM, Az, Texas, Cal). I think the bulk of the 35,000 troops there will be gone within four years.
I’ll also go out on the limb and predict that the bulk of US troops in Germany....are probably gone within three years. Some might end up in Poland, and the rest brought back to the states as well.
When the eight years end of the Trump era....we can all say that it’s a dramatic change to the landscape, lesser tensions existing, and less cost to operate the Pentagon. I also think there is an economic boom coming to South Korea, and they will be a dominating economic force over the next decade.
I agree about Germany. At this point, I’d much rather have troops in Poland and other eastern European countries than Germany. I’m ok with pulling some of these troops back to Guam but I still think we will need other bases over there, especially in the South China Sea area. I would love to get Subic and/or Clark back in the Philippines but I don’t know how doable that is.
A lot of the ground pounders and even armor can come home if the NORKS truly denuclearize but we still need Air Force and Navy assets over there. I’m not as optimistic to say 4 years because I think this denuclearization will take longer and not one troop moves (IMHO) until all the nukes are out.
Pull our Troops out of Germany. Let Merkel fund her own defense.
Pull our Troops out of Germany. Let Merkel fund her own defense.