US Army Withdrawal Plans From Germany on Hold
Former US President Trump’s plans to withdraw 12,000 US soldiers from Germany are on the shelves. The intentions are being reviewed from top to bottom, said General Tod Wolters, US forces in Europe.
New defence secretary Lloyd Austin has begun a thorough reassessment of his predecessor Mark Esper’s plans unfolded in July, Wolters said Wednesday, according to army magazine Stars and Stripes.
In December, the US parliament said it wanted to block the mass withdrawal because it would not be in the US’s national interest.
According to parliament, the Americans have about 34,500 soldiers stationed in Germany, which is a significant deterrent against military aggression and Russia’s possible expansion into Europe. They are also crucial in supporting US operations in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan.
Trump justified the move by pointing to what he saw as too low German defence spending. The command centre in Stuttgart was to be transferred to Belgium. Some of the militaries would go to Poland, the Baltic states and Italy.
NATO and Germany were not happy with the proposed withdrawal.
