The United States plans to withdraw 11,900 military personnel from Germany, reducing U.S. troops there from some 36,000 to 24,000, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Wednesday.
Among the U.S. troops that would be withdrawn, about 5,600 will be repositioned to other NATO countries, while the rest will be returned to the United States with some beginning rotational deployment back to Europe, the Pentagon chief told a news briefing.
Some U.S. forces currently stationed in Germany would be redeployed to Belgium and Italy, and others would begin continuous rotation in the Black Sea region, according to Esper.
“We also plan on rotating forward the lead element of the Army’s newly established V Corps headquarters to Poland, once Warsaw agrees to a Defense Cooperation Agreement and burden sharing details, as previously pledged,” he said.
Esper noted that
the Pentagon seeks to implement its plans “as expeditiously as possible,” adding that redeployment could begin within weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly complained that U.S. allies are exploiting the country on defense spending.
Criticizing Berlin’s “delinquency” on military spending, Trump last month ordered the U.S. military to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany.
“Until they pay, we’re removing our soldiers,” he said.
Dozens of House Republicans have voiced opposition to Trump’s decision to reduce the country’s military presence in Germany.
The reposition announcement came as relations between Washington and Berlin have become strained.
The two allies have been at odds with each other on Iran nuclear issues, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and defense burden-sharing, among other topics.
3 comments
” The reposition announcement came as relations between Washington and Berlin have become strained.”
Is this just the continuation of the ideas and philosophies of the infamous 45th elected President of the United States of America – Donald. J. Trump ?
The “divider” of his own country and globally, and what a Shambles he has created, in a country of 331 million human beings, that being America.
America is a Humanitarian Disaster.
America is paying horrendously for it’s ERROR.
Stay Well – ALL.
Unfortunately, large part of the facilities, soldiers and death machineries, is not going to be shipped back to the U.S.A. but redeployed in other EU countries. In fact, it is mostly a relocation.
Now, more than ever: yankees, go home. And stay home. Thanks.
You bet….lol…Europe did such a good job of defending itself in WWI and WWII that no help was needed from the US troops, facilities or war machines. Right? I do agree that the US should pull out every US citizen, gun or defense plans to aid Europe, now or in the future. Europe should make Allies with Russia and China. Better for the EU and better for the US.