DW: Withdrawal of US troops from Germany a 'gift' to Putin

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Around 35,000 Americans are still stationed in several US bases in Germany.

At the height of the Cold War, there were ten times as many. Now the President of the United States, Donald Trump, wants to withdraw another ten thousand soldiers from the country of his ancestors. At least that's what the media, citing US government officials, are writing, writes Deutsche Welle, reports Patria.

German Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert initially saw no reason to react.

"If there is official information, then we can comment on it. Media reports are not a reason for us," he said.

Seibert did the same as his boss, Angela Merkel, often does in such cases. Instead of sharply responding to such threats, at least as perceived by security policymakers, he praised the engagement of US troops within the framework of the NATO alliance for our security.

"A colossal mistake"

Even though nothing official has arrived from Washington yet, the news has caused turmoil in political Berlin. Christian Democrat Peter Beyer, coordinator for transatlantic relations, believes that such a troop withdrawal would "shake the pillars of transatlantic relations." His party colleague, Johann Saile, sees Trump's alleged announcement as another reason for Europe to wake up and rely more on itself militarily. The chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Rolf Mützenich, demands the same. And while numerous politicians are more or less openly complaining about Trump's unpredictability, the deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, warns against breaking off talks.

Criticism of Trump is even coming from the US military side, from someone who knows security policy issues very well. Former Commander of US Forces in Europe, Ben Hodges, who was stationed in Wiesbaden before retiring, warned in a tweet that the withdrawal would be a "colossal mistake" and a "gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"US troops are not stationed in Europe to protect Germans," his tweet reads. "As part of NATO, their task is to protect all member states, including the US," he adds.

Colin Powell, from Trump's Republican Party, went a step further. The former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Secretary of State blames Trump for the alleged troop withdrawal, as it would be part of a policy that would turn "practically everyone in the world" against America. That is not in the interest of the US. Powell even announced that he would vote for Joe Biden of the Democratic Party in the upcoming elections.

Bases in Germany – strategically important for the US

However, this is not the first time Trump has threatened Germany with troop withdrawal, arguing that it benefits from US protection while allegedly not spending enough on defense itself. On the other hand, Poland, with a significantly larger defense budget, is doing it right, according to Trump. He therefore wants to reward Poland. Last year, during the visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to Washington, he brought up the idea of transferring US troops from Germany to Poland; as a sign of gratitude, Duda wanted to name the base "Fort Trump."

Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Berlin, who has since returned to Washington, also threatened to transfer troops later. And Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has now stated again that he hopes US soldiers will be transferred to his country if they leave Germany.

If Trump really means it, this plan would not only be a controversial political signal but would also be very difficult to implement logistically. Because the bases in Germany are not just any bases. From Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate, planes fly towards the Middle East and Afghanistan. From the headquarters in Stuttgart, Americans coordinate their forces in Europe and Africa. The military hospital in Landstuhl near Ramstein is the largest of its kind outside the US. Even if the number of soldiers in Germany is further reduced, the country will still have the largest number of US soldiers in Europe – and this plays a decisive role in the overall strategic interests of the US worldwide.

It should not be forgotten that if large US contingents were transferred to Poland, Russia could perceive it as an unprecedented provocation and react accordingly. And no one in NATO has an interest in that.

Maybe there is no plan at all

But why did Trump utter his alleged threats? Is it because Merkel will not travel to the US for the G7 Summit, thus offending Trump? Politicians Jürgen Hardt (CDU) and Jürgen Trittin of the Greens suspect this. However, Steffen Seibert, the spokesperson for the German Chancellor, clarified once again: "The Chancellor said that she thanked him for the invitation at the end of June, but due to the overall situation with the pandemic, she is unable to appear in person in Washington," writes Deutsche Welle, reports Patria.