Pentagon Rethinks Troop Cuts in Europe

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials are considering whether to halt the drawdown of U.S. troops in Europe because of the war in Iraq and other world developments.

A Defense Department official said Monday that some defense leaders are studying whether the 2002 plan to cut troops on the continent by nearly half still makes sense today with America's ongoing wars, worsening relations with Russia and Iran and a recent plan to expand the Army.

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The decrease in troops so far -- amid repeated deployments to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by those remaining in Europe -- has forced officials to cancel military exercises and other activities with European allies, the official said.

The idea of cutting troops from 68,000 in 2001 to 28,000 by 2012 was part of an initiative by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to transform the military into a leaner, more cost-effective force.

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"The concern I have is the ability to conduct the missions that we've been given in European Command with the forces available, because the forces are ... moving into Iraq and Afghanistan on a rotating basis," Craddock told Congress earlier this year. He said he feared that too severe a cut would hamper his ability to tend to partnerships the military wants to foster in the region.


Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-military-europe,1,4767381.story

[natrat]

1. whatever will harm our long term interests these scumbags will do it

[rurallib]

2. Choose the path that will get them the biggest chunk of the budget.

[ohio2007]

3. but the NAZI's may come back in power if we get our boots off their necks

get US troops out of Europe. Stop funding the local European economies with US defense $

[Screwfly]

4. I wonder

if this anything to do with a poll that just came out which shows Europeans are growing increasingly hostile to economic globalization.