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You need Ramstein and you want Ramstein. Then you´ll get Ramstein. Germany does not need the presence of US forces, but they don´t disturb us. We welcome US servicemen here - although formerly occupation troops they behaved like protectors against the Reds.

For the history books: it were the weak eastern economy, Kohl & his diplomacy and the growing resistance in the East (demonstrations in Leipzig and Dresden) which lead to a change of mind in the heads of the Soviets.

The US were among the first to support this development, but they didn´t initiate it.

Because it seems, that here´s a lack of information:
the US troops in Japan and Germany were occupation forces, the costs for their stationing during the occupation time (1945-1994) were paid by the occupated states (Japan and Germany). Today the bases are financed by the US military, no money is transferred by the US to Japan/Germany nor by Germany/Japan to the US.

If you want to leave, feel free. If not, we still welcome your presence!

I don't know wehere you got your information, but the US Government footed the bill, and still does, for the stationing of troops in Germany and Japan. I was stationed in Germany for 14 years, I know of what I speak.

Germany may not need US troops any longer, on that we may agree. But if you welcome the presence, you could show it a bit more. And your history books don't sound too terribly accurate to me. Why was the Eastern economy weak? What did Kohl do? It was Reagan's polcies of peace through strength and containment that wrecked the Soviet economies. Ronald Reagan won the Cold War - don't doubt it for a second.

I understand that we fund our own bases over there. My point in that regard is that if you had to pay for your own defense, you wouldn't have the money for all the social programs we have to hear about over here from our Lefties.

I am not in any respect anti-German, and do not support the "scum" label applied earlier. But if you are going to pick your leaders on the basis of who can be more critical of the U.S., maybe it's time you paid for your own defense. There are no threats put there, right?