Rumsfeld indicates U.S. troops to be pulled out of Germany

DW-World.DE ^ | 4/30/03

[areafiftyone]

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been visting Iraq this Wednesday. Following a stop in the southern city of Basra, Rumsfeld moved onto the capital, Baghdad. He met with the U.S. appointed administrator for Iraq, Jay Garner. Later, he spoke to U.S. soldiers at Baghdad's airport. Asked about rumours that Washington was planning to pull troops out of Germany, Rumsfeld indicated that the rumours were true, but that the details had not yet been worked out. Those comments came one day after Rumsfeld announced that U.S. troops were pulling out of Saudi Arabia.

[Pro-Bush]

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, right, and Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, left, talk to journalists at the Chancellery in Berlin, Monday, July 10, 2000.

[ffusco]

I hope the USA takes everything that isn't nailed down including door knobs and light bulbs.

[Centurion2000]

If this is true and the US pulls out its army, then the hand writing is on the wall.

The Nazis might think REALLY hard about what happened the last time. Plus if we move our troops into Poland (as they seem to be inviting us to); the nazis will NOT be going east.

[americanbychoice]

weel, hate to disagree with you. Today Greece announced that it will join the 'great four" . France has been courting Russia to join them and Russia is very interested in an axis. They have already announced a joint venture to build the newest migs. The Europeans heart has always been marxist. It will happen.

[Oorang]

I believe alot of the bases are quite old, WWII German bases, but, yes as previous posters pointed out we have put lots o' money into them.

One of my brothers works at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart. He is a civilian DoD employee, been there about 23 years now. I heard about this a couple of months ago and he said yes its true but had been in the works for a while. Was not really brought on by the current Germany/France/Iraq brouhaha. Some of it was economic decision as the bases need lots more money as they are so old but there were "other reasons" and there would be more to come. That was more info than he usually gives me. When we talk about world events I usually get the old "it I tell you I'd have to kill you" reply.

There is a fair size group of "Nazi wantabe's", mostly younger people. There also are alot of Muslims. I was there in 1993 for my nephew's wedding and there were alot of problems with Turkish muslims. Alot of street crime, etc. Nobody was happy there were so many Turkish muslims there.

[TexasGunLover]

Good news... I just hope we overthrow their government and free their people before we pull out...

[hellinahandcart]

?

[americanbychoice]

I was born and raised in Germany, immigrated to the U.S. in 1961. I have lived there several times for a total of 16 years as European Director for my company. When I went through school, the second world war was a black hole, it didn't exist. A piece in time void of any substance.
Because of us, the Germans enjoyed the best economic times in their History. The problem was that the "Wirtschaftswunder" didn't come with instructions on how to manage their new found wealth and prominence. Like a spoiled child seeking dissent they used our benevolence to lash out and prove their Master Race status once again. Most Germans feel morally and intellectually superior to any race. Anti semitism and suspicion toward anything non- German is still rampant.

I don’t want to go on a rant here, but……. The Socialists, former PDS leaning, heel clicking “Leaders of Europe” are now Goose stepping arm in arm together to enslave the new European democracies into their diminishing economic quagmire. The revolutionaries Schroeder/Fischer, together with “King” Chirac and the opportunistic Putin are trying to reset the old Pinball game that the U.S. has forced into Tilt mode for the last 58 years. They believe that their anti-American rhetoric will show the world that it is better to be dominated by the old aristocratic class conscious ruling elite, which will let them eat cake, than being able to determine their own destiny by setting their own agendas, laws and purpose. Their goal is so transparent that it would have to anticipate a great amount of stupidity on the part of the former Eastern block countries not to notice their true intent. Gone would be self-determination, freedom of speech and liberties associated with the normal democratic concept. The only purpose would be to milk these new countries for their Tax Euros and to be indoctrinated into the socialist melting pot that is called the EU ? The “old Europeans “have shown time and time again, that their goal is to create different classes within their societies. The Master race concept was a failure and reinstituting it won’t work again this time around. The “Krautiots” for instance want to have someone else work for them while they can collect the ample Government subsidy, just like it should be awarded to these Super humans. They determined to abandon Atomic Energy, only to encourage other countries to build new reactors from which they can purchase cheap energy. They will do anything to show the world that they are ecologically pure and socially just. Well, History does have a way of repeating itself, it won’t work this time either. The idea of taking over Europe without firing a shot to create Lebensraum has hurdles that neither Chirac or his new Komrades: Schroeder, Fischer and Putin will be able to overcome. To bank on the stupidity of others for your own gain has always been futile. I do however, have a recommendation for this happy threesome: Make an appointment with their proctologist and demand a lobotomy?
Of course this is only my opinion and I could be wrong.

[3LostLegions]

In this proposed socialist utopia, who does all the work while the elites enjoy la dolce vida? Muslim immigrants? The Poles?

[Oorang]

Thanks for your insight. I also like your opinion of the health care they should seek.

Do you think there is any hope for a younger, up and coming generation of European leaders being a bit more rational, or is their idea of being a "Master Race" a genetic trait that gets passed on?

Also, thanks for being "American By Choice". That says a lot about you being a rational thinker, more so than some Americans by birth (Clinton, Striesand, etc.).

[kkindt]

I agree - taking our troops out of Germany is not punishment for them. It is like the brer rabbit story - oh please don't take your army out of Deutschland! The German population is bent on militarism and the nazi mentality is strong there. I visited the place where my father was killed in WWII - Gadheim, Germany along the Main River - not a tourist area at all. The rural people in Germany - millions of them - are strong Nazi sympathizers. You would not believe the Nazi statuary and Nazi slogans and Nazi mentality I met there. I know some German and talked with some of the people there - they hate Americans in these locations and resent the US occupation of their homeland. What a dangerous thing to do is pull our troops out of Germany now that Germany is showing its antipathy for the US??? It doesn't make good political sense. If Bush and Rumsfield think this punishes Germany how so? It is what they want. Oh, yes, some of the people that will lose their jobs who work for us on our bases and near our bases there but the vast majority of Germans will say Ja!! Ja!!

[americanbychoice]

Unfortunately,I have to go to Germany again on Friday, just came back Sunday. Sometimes, reading the German Media, I believe Goebbels is still alive. They predominately print only Anti- American propaganda (a few outlets are the exception). If you tell people lies often enough, it will become the truth.
Do I believe ther will be a change? ...................NO

[texasbluebell]

Payback's a beach.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

It'd be a heck of a lot cheaper for us to have bases in Eastern Europe. I saw a couple of abandoned Soviet bases in Latvia. A "handyman's special" to be sure, but they're there. Civilian staff would not have to be paid as much as they would be in Germany. And the residents in New Europe would be quite grateful with our presence. Plus, a base in Bulgaria, for instance, is much closer to the countries (Syria, Iran) that may need, shall I say, a visit from us.

[snopercod]

We need to demolish all base structures, runways, and facilities as we leave. It was our tax dollars that built it.

Not true. Most of the bases were "comandeered" WWII German bases, like Patch Barracks were I was stationed.

[Dog Gone]

There is absolutely no reason for US troops to be in Germany anymore. It's not the front lines of any potential battlefield.

If keeping them there would ensure that Germany would remain our friend and out of political leftist trouble, then that might be consideration. The problem is that it didn't work. So scratch that.

I still have some hope that Germany might swing back conservative. But they just missed their chance last year. It would only be a very long shot to have Schroeder toppled before then, and even then there is no guarantee.

[George W. Bush]

What an incredible shake-up in the "world order" we have witnessed in the last year.

Sea change.

[americanbychoice]

agree, with the end of the cold war, our mission ended......successfully

[Semper Paratus]

FLASH, US military in Drang Nach Osten move from Germany into Poland!

[William McKinley]

That is the rumored strategy. However, this seems to me to fit into the 'punish Germany' mold.

I am a big fan of 'punish those who act like foes, reward those that act like friends'.