German troop replacement to cost DOD $100M

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=ab9e4427bbe685f0

Big News Network.com Friday 18th February, 2005 (UPI)

The U.S. military will spend $100 million on private security to replace German soldiers guarding American bases in Europe, according to budget documents.

The money is contained in the $82 billion supplemental appropriation request for 2005 the White House submitted to Congress Monday.

In January 2003, Germany offered about 2,500 troops to protect about 50 American installations around Europe as U.S. soldiers were pulled off to train and deploy in advance of the war in Iraq. Security had been provided by a mix of soldiers and private security forces.

more...

Now thats a very expensive security bill!!!

[Benhurst]

1. Thank God we've got plenty of money and no pressing

needs here at home.

Americans, unlike their wimpy European counterparts, don't need decent medical care or social services. The Homeland's infrastructure is falling apart, you say? What difference does it make? You don't need anything but the basics if you're shipping the jobs abroad.

God bless our military-industrial complex and our heroic Leader!

[bluestateguy]

2. Why do we still need troops in Germany anyway?

With the Soviet Union gone, are there any countries in the world today that have military bases all over the world; and I'm not talking about occupation forces like Syria in Lebanon for example.

[geomon666]

3. You never know when those filthy Germans are gonna start again.

Besides committing genocide is our business now.

[Massacure]

4. Our troops provide economic incentives to Germany.

It would bankrupt the towns around the bases if we did close them. Of course the towns lobby to keep the bases there.

[lebkuchen]

5. No it wouldn't bankrupt towns around them--folly

Lots of US bases have closed in Germany. There used to be a French base AND US base in Karlsruhe. Both bases closed, and Karlsruhe is thriving. The city converted the former German/US/French barracks into private apts.

I don't recall the French, or the Canadians when they left Baden Baden, ever saying, "If we leave Germany, it will collapse!" The US still lives according to a mythology that the world is dependent on the US tit.

[flygal]

7. My experience with military people in Germany

They don't spend much money off base. They do some tourist things, but even their ski trips are all US coordinated. I saw so many women who couldn't do much if it wasn't a sanctioned military excursion. They would stay in military quarters in other countries, buy their gas only with the military cards - I think it's shell or BP they can use. They have their commissaries, exchanges, Taco Bell, movies all right on base.

And, I used to read the Army Times - or one of those things - and would see letters telling people not to support the local economy b/c of Germany not supporting the Iraq war.

I have to say, I can tell when I'm near a US military base - it's the only place you'll see huge SUVs. I cannot believe the military doesn't discourage these people from bringing them over. It costs us tax dollars b/c we're subsidizing their gas. And they just look ridiculous trying to get through the narrow streets.

[lebkuchen]

8. You've made many astute observations, flygal

Many Americans are able to get by for their three year tour without exchanging a dollar for a euro, and they're proud of it.

I recently overheard an offbase beautician, who speaks English, try to explain to an on-base military spouse how to get downtown to her shop, which is directly across from the Town Hall. The spouse knew just one store, which sells very inexpensive clothes, but knew of no other landmarks in the altstadt. "Just follow the strassebahn tracks to the Rathaus" meant nothing to this spouse.

Unfortunately, BMW and Mercedes are starting to build SUVs as well. Gas is $4.00/gal in Germany, so the economy can't be that bad off if Germans are willing to buy these gas guzzlers.

The gas stations that can be used on the subsidized coupons are Aral, BP and Esso, all UK/US owned.

[Massacure]

9. Hmm. Well the military wanted to close a base in Maine

But the towns around it didn't want it closed.

Flygal says things are different in Germany though. Oh well. I guess I shouldn't have assume whats true around one base is true around another.

[lebkuchen]

11. Groups in the liberal SF didn't want the Army to leave the Presidio either

It did leave, and the Presidio, and San Francisco are doing fine. Of course, the Presidio had been some sort of military garrison since the last 1700's, so transition isn't always easy, but times change.

This is the price many communities around the US must pay for govt. policies like that of the former Sec. of the Navy John Lehman, of homeporting ships throughout the country. He was hoping growing community dependence on the base economy would keep those bases open forever, increasing the money pipeline to corporate contractors.

Whenever the WH takes in a fiscally responsible boarder, cuts are made.

[lebkuchen]

6. Those bases are moving to Romania and Bulgaria now

Poland and Khazakstan are being negotiated as well.

[ausiedownunderground]

10. Germany is wealthier than the US. Don't have US debt problems

The EU has been far far more cleverer than the US during the 2001-2005 economic asset "Boom"! Unlike Greenscam, the EU kept their interest rates high in comparison to the US strategy of following Japan's example of the late 80's and 90's. Real zero interest rates. Now this may well have lead to a US perception of "Party-on" and a US government propoganda campaign of "We are rich -look at how well the economy is going", while the EU has struggled a bit, but when the US "hangover" comes, the EU will step into the breach in far far better shape! You've been warned!!!
In 5 to 10 years the US will be closing the European bases due to the fact that their "BROKE"! German property developers will move in and buy the bases cheap!!! It'll be the Germans that make money out of them!! The US will move their bases to a cheaper landlord and it don't come more cheaper than Romania. Average monthly earnings of $103!!!!!!!! US soldiers even in a great American economic "meltdown" at home will be able to afford the "high life" in Transylvania!! Its also a very beautiful romantic spot with its Count Dracula castles in the mountains etc. US Army wifes will love it!

[lebkuchen]

12. The problem w/moving east is that those countries expect rent to be paid

unlike the Germans and Japanese. When Poland told the US recently that it expected US funds for use of old Soviet bases, it came as a shock to the Bushies. They were expecting to get it for free.

As w/the German govt. supplying troop protection for US bases during the Iraq war, host nations have subsidized US military presence in so many ways, that it can often be cheaper to the US govt. to maintain overseas bases rather than move them stateside.

If/when the 1AD/1ID move to Eastern Europe unaccompanied, the burden military families will be placing on their stateside communities will be tremendous. The infrastructure--housing/schools for starters--isn't there to support them as it is overseas. Mind you, that support will be sorely lacking during a time of war. It's going to cost the US taxpayer big bucks to build that infrastructure, at a time when the national debt looms at $7 trillion.