Bottom line- In the Cold War, “your” ass was on the line. Your politicians didn’t play games. They knew they had to have the Pershing's and GLCMs ets and they were willing to stand out there and have eggs through at them. The Cold War is over, the perceived threat to most in the German Volk is gone. It’s not Germany that is in the lead, dealing with problems such as N. Korea, Iran, or even Libya and former Saddam’s Iraq; it’s the US. Germany has gone from the nation on the forefront as an asset in standing against the Soviet threat to a political liability in some instances when dealing with rouge states and regional problems, although overall the Germans sit in the same boat, often even more at threat than we are (Example: Libya - Germany was of no assistance in this matter and the credit for having Libya open it’s doors to inspectors and abandon it’s WMD program at least for now goes completely to the US and UK, something your media does not write about in their diatribe about imaginary oil pipelines running through Afghanistan)! Germany will be quick to ask for help, such as in the Balkans, and they will expect that the missile defense shield protect them too. They will expect us to evacuate their citizens, as was the case in Africa years ago, but they don’t want to stand in the spot light, and they ultimately do not want to pay the political, economic, and blood toll of being a major player on the world stage dealing with these threats. This task will be left to the US, Great Britain, when it fits into France’s agenda, them too.
There is a reason why the US is repositioning in Europe. Ask yourself why.
A provocative question: So what?
Politicians come and go. The current US-policy is not fixed forever. Do you really think that a fading president (this is no personal offense of GWB - he simply suffers from the inevitable loss of importance in the last third of his reign like every US-president) is able to fix the policy of his country irreversible?
There are many unknown parameters in this game. Are Poland, Romania and the Czech republic really politically stable countries if we concern US troop and millitary deployments (maybe you have heard about the widespread emotional component in the political life in eastern Europe)? Some of those countries being at the first look quite friendly could turn into bitter enemies within a few hours. The people and the political leadership there are far away from full-grown democratic and stable traditions. Just take a look at those funny twins in Poland, to Hungary or to Romania. It is not funny to invest billions and bazillions just for being kicked out of the "host"-country after 2 or 3 years. The "boiling blood" of some idiots in eastern Europe could turn into a desaster for the US.
"Old" Europe is in economic recovery in the moment and political things are quite stable. Even under clowns like Schroeder or Fischer nobody ever interdicted the use of the German US-bases i.e.. Today America is dealing with a pro-US gouvernment under Merkel again and (please pray with me that it will come true) the next gouvernment might be even more pro-US if a CDU-FDP coalition would come into power.
There are not so many nations that are suitable to be among America's important partners in this world. Since eastern Europe contries are in sharp decline (much sharper than western Europe) due to demographic factors (they loose people though a failure in reproduction AND through immigration to western Europe), their importance will remain low compared to old Europe. Old Europe will loose some of its importance too, but a certain level will remain.
Last but not least he most important points: How will the next president react on GWB's rocket deployment? How will the next president react on GWB's Iraq engagement? How will the next president react on GWB's Iran engagement?
Therefore you should understand that I am not too impressed about the blahblah of some contemporary US politicians. The rocket defense in eastern Europe is a reasonable thing to do although I am not convinced that this is solving all of our problems. There are many ways to bring warheads into the civilized world. America is obviously not able to solve the problems in the ME only millitarily. We also need a successfull political initiative. It is contraproductive to let those Arabs and Iranians loose their faces all the time. Peace and prosperity are only possible if there is some cooperation from their side. In the moment they only fight against you (and us). Therefore we need some change. If this is not possible, America is going to be bound for the next 100 years in the desert. Then you have no chance to reposition your troops in Europe since they will be all deployed in Iraq. :)
To initiate a new global policy the next American president needs powerful partners and not just young nations that are in their first developing phase (I do not say this to offend anybody but there are indeed differences). He (or even she - if it should be unavoidable) needs strength. In regard to Iran or Syria i.e. such only can be provided by France, Italy and Germany since those countries are still the most important partners of the Mullahs and of Assad.
You see - the trust/distrust into my country of the current US-administation is just a passing wind. We have to wait for the next elections (in the US and in Germany) to see into which direction our relationsship will go.