Why does the U. S. have so many troops in Germany?

[editec]

Why does the U. S. have so many troops in Germany?

To keep those bloodthirsty Liechtenstensteiniens ​

from getting their filthy hands on it, of course.​

 

[Soaring]

Why can't we station these troops in the empty bases we have in the United States? The troops would be at home, and with their families. It would be good for the economy, and it would cut back on the "Imperialism" accusations.

The whole thing sounds like a Pentagon spending spree.

What you don't understand because of your ignorance, is that the families are living in Germany with their military spouse, and their kids attend American schools sponsored by the DoDDS (Department of Defense Dependents' Schools.) I know, because I worked for them as a high school teacher for 18 years. The distance across the Atlantic, and the amount of time it would take to react to a serious breach would be prohibitive with housing these troops and the materiel in the U.S. We don't want to make the same mistake we made after WWI and bring all our troops home, then dismantle the military.

 

[Derek_Plumber]

What you don't understand because of your ignorance, is that the families are living in Germany with their military spouse, and their kids attend American schools sponsored by the DoDDS (Department of Defense Dependents' Schools.).

So, what you are telling me is that as a taxpayer, I not only have to pay for all those troops, but their wives, children, and schooling as well!

Yep, sounds like a Pentagon spending spree......

 

[garyd]

You begin to sound increasingly retarded and more than a little anal to me. Bringing all the troops home would cost more money in the long run than keeping them on site.

 

[Derek_Plumber]

Bringing all the troops home would cost more money in the long run than keeping them on site.

Now there's an idea you should present to the Joint Chiefs! Hey! Don't the troops all get brought home sometime anyway? Duh!

 

[Steve Jobs]

Our foreign policy dictates that we occupy those countries militarilly in order to prevent them from repeating what they did during WW II. They are both extremely aggressive nations, and need to be kept into check. We don't want another WWI and a WWII episode by the Germans, and we certainly don't want another far eastern aggression by the Japanese. I have lived and worked in both of those countries, and have a good deal of feeling about what their worldwide polital intensions are. If not kept in check, they will start another WW, I guarantee it. It's too bad that the Americans have to bear the cost, but that ain't gonna change anytime soon.

We didn't have to intervene in WWII, and if the Germans really decide to start another war (which I doubt), I say let 'em. I don't see how wars in other countries are our problem.

 

[Mr. President]

We have troops in Germany because First it was peace keeping the commitment to allies in Europe and Asia. We have medical facilities in Germany operated solely to treat Casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Big Red 1 recently began coming back from Germany to Ft Riley. So while we are slowly decreasing our presence it is still necessary to accomplish global missions as are the bases in the other 130 countries.

Because of our bases we are better equipped to react. The reason no other country can do this is because no other military is as powerful as ours. Combined the Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy make the most powerful military this world has ever seen. We can police the world and by doing so ensure that no threat arises that could endanger Americans regardless of their location.

 

[BaltimoreBob]

It was called WWI & WWII.

Baltimore Bob

 

[Derek_Plumber]

Still looks like a Pentagon spending spree, $176,000,000 annually. I have read the reasons in this thread, but $176,000,000 a year! Come on, what's the real deal.


The Real Truth - Downsizing U.S. Troops in Germany

 

[Gunny]

Now I have cultivated a reputation in this web site as an unforgiving wild eyed liberal, but I am not playing games with this issue. Last Friday Bill Maher with Republicans on his panel questioned the number of troops in Germany. Maher and the panelists were pretty much in agreement. Protection from Russia was mentioned, but that Berlin Wall fell way back on November 9, 1989. Russia is not a world power any more.

I don't get it, the world is filled with crackpot countries. I am more concerned about Iran to Korea than Germany and Japan. Why is the USA always the one to play policeman? Let these European and other countries put their young people in harms way. I don't want to say this too strongly, but there is a fair case here for the United States playing at Imperialism. If we are, we are wrong, and should be spending more time resolving the World Economy. Now there is a way to make friends.

Okay, so you're questioning this. I said they should realign those troops LONG ago. They should. They are there for political reasons to kiss those countries' asses, and so we don't get called "bad guys" in the media by those countries for withdrawing our financial support for the communities around the bases.

It's called being political pussies and throwing away our money to try and appease world opinion.

 

[L.K.Eder]

Now I have cultivated a reputation in this web site as an unforgiving wild eyed liberal, but I am not playing games with this issue. Last Friday Bill Maher with Republicans on his panel questioned the number of troops in Germany. Maher and the panelists were pretty much in agreement. Protection from Russia was mentioned, but that Berlin Wall fell way back on November 9, 1989. Russia is not a world power any more.

I don't get it, the world is filled with crackpot countries. I am more concerned about Iran to Korea than Germany and Japan. Why is the USA always the one to play policeman? Let these European and other countries put their young people in harms way. I don't want to say this too strongly, but there is a fair case here for the United States playing at Imperialism. If we are, we are wrong, and should be spending more time resolving the World Economy. Now there is a way to make friends.

Okay, so you're questioning this. I said they should realign those troops LONG ago. They should. They are there for political reasons to kiss those countries' asses, and so we don't get called "bad guys" in the media by those countries for withdrawing our financial support for the communities around the bases.

It's called being political pussies and throwing away our money to try and appease world opinion.

Yeah sure, do you believe your own post?

Why did they close a lot of bases then in the last years? Würzburg's economy took quite the hit.

Do you think they keep Ramstein and Landstuhl open for political reasons?

 

[mememe]

No it has nothing whatever to do with imperialism you freaking tools it has to do with the fact that as WWII and 9/11 demonstrated isolationism fails.

And since the last time US was "isolationist" was before WW1,.....???????

 

[mememe]

The US bases in Europe are due to Cold War defenses against the threat of Soviet invasion. It isn't because we are imperialist, nor is it because we're trying to keep Germany and Japan in check.

They were to keep the Soviet Union in check.

The Soviet Union fell in 1992, so why does US keep building NEW bases around the world, to keep Taliban in check?

 

[mememe]

Why is the USA always the one to play policeman?

Because there is money in it for the US economic and political elite.

http://sandiego.indymedia.org/media/2006/10/119973.pdf

 

[mememe]

That is why other than , the previous reasons we remain in Germany, unless your advocating we abandon NATO.

Doesn't work.

When did the Soviet block collapsed? In 1992. Now check the date on your data.

 

[rhodescholar]

As of 31 March 2008, U.S. Forces were...56,200 in Germany.

That 56,200 works. Thanks for the research. What I don't understand is why the United States is putting lives at risk, and footing the bill? Shouldn't we let the Europeans work out their own military situation? Why don't conservatives make noise about this? They are always talking about cutting taxes. Neither Democrats nor Republicans seem to want to talk about it. Are we trying to maintain some sort of "Empire" status in Europe?

Dude, I have been railing about this shit for fucking years. It would be so incredibly powerful to pull them out, imagine how much more attentive the EU would then be to fulfilling its military obligations to protect itself.

Not only in saved costs, but in manpower shifted to real problem zones, like iran or n korea.

But the EU wants them there, no matter what they say publicly, as it provides them a safety net so they can spend less on their militaries and more on welfare and pensions for their retiring at age-55 citizens, while the US taxpayer has to work until 70 or so these days. It also provides alot of jobs there, for the people who live near the bases and sell them shit, like clothing, food, bars, etc.

 

[Toro]

Because the beer is awesome.

 

[L.K.Eder]

Because the beer is awesome.

It is.

And the minute the US heroes pack their shit, the germans will start WWIII!

 

[mightypeon]

Hmm, as a German, against exactly whom are we supposed to wage war?

Recently, holding captured territory has gotten quite difficult, I mean, Russia took a decade to regain control in Chechenya, the USA are heavily struggling against 2 backwater countries that are inferior to them in every way that matters militarily.

Apart from that, every country around us has a nice set of guarantees of independences, formal alliances and a bunch of other stuff on them.

The most drastic thing I could see would be a "punishment expedition" against this greedy tax hole mongers in Switzerland (but they would propably buy nukes from France and blow us to hell, apart from beeing able to call upon some 600K of army manpower).

Apart from that, Germany actually pays around 1.89 billion to the USA per year for the bases.
Germanys also makes significant economical contributions to Nato (which basically means to the USA) at least according to Peter Scholl Latour (fairly reknowned German policy expert), both Germany and Japan are in fact paying to be "protected".

 

[mememe]

Apart from that, Germany actually pays around 1.89 billion to the USA per year for the bases.
Germanys also makes significant economical contributions to Nato (which basically means to the USA) at least according to Peter Scholl Latour (fairly reknowned German policy expert), both Germany and Japan are in fact paying to be "protected".

A protection racket.