Army Rethinking Plan To Cut US Troops In Europe

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

(02-17) 12:03 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The U.S. Army is again reconsidering its plan for drawing down troops in Europe and thinking of leaving more troops there than earlier planned.

Gen. Carter Ham, the head of Army troops in Europe, said Tuesday that because U.S. troops in Europe have been used so much in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they cannot participate in exercises with European allies as much as he'd like.

There are 42,000 soldiers in Europe, but a plan already approved by the military would reduce that number to 32,000 by 2012 or 3012.

Ham told a Pentagon news conference that he is recommending leaving the force at its current size, a recommendation that would have to be approved by superiors.

He said the force in Europe must be able to stay engaged and exercise with allies to build partnerships.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/17/national/w120324S71.DTL

[jsamuel]

1. by 2012 or 3012? I didn't realize we planned that far ahead.

[shadowknows69]

2. Have to keep the empire fully garrisoned I guess

[bigbrother05]

3. Fits in with reducing military construction dollars

Won't have to build new state-side facilities if they stay in existing European bases.

Wonder when the other shoe will drop on the BRAC process? If the Sep 2011 deadline is stretched, military construction could be spread thinner still.

[Lost in CT]

16. Strangely that makes perfect sense.

Really good point.

[Oregone]

4. Keep them there. Their deployment preserves democracy here.

Freedom isn't free!

[shadowknows69]

6. You're kidding right?

[Oregone]

8. Of course not.

Every time a soldier comes home, a little angel in heaven dies.

[shadowknows69]

9. I think more likely a family is made whole again.

[Oregone]

11. Except for the angel's family...

and their cute fuzzy kitten that also shuffles off the mortal coil

Only more troops in Eastern block nations can possibly prevent this.

[shadowknows69]

12. The Angels will get over it

and God always makes more kitties.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. Most other Nations keep the majority of their military at home - If the USA did that

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maybe so many nations wouldn't hate the USA???


just a silly Canuk thought . . .

[shadowknows69]

7. Your brains too cold from the Great White North

Don't you know that War is Peace.

[Oregone]

10. I love it when I spot Canuck military vehicles...

Every now and then I see then going to and fro in town...their crappy primer paint jobs and retro look makes me smile (in a good way).

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. I see A LOT of them around here - plus their helicopters and jets

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I live half way between Petawawa, an Armed Forces Base, and North Bay - North Bay is NORAD - used to have nukes there - silos are still there - empty(of course)

helos go right over my back yard - even seen a few prop cargo planes flying only a couple of hundred feet up - this is a training area

Ottawa valley - a great place for pilots to train low flight

but NOISY - - -

[DCKit]

13. When did the military become the 4th and most powerful branch?

Isn't this the kind of decision that needs to be hammered out between the WH and Congress?

Seems the MIC is getting too big for their britches.

[classysassy]

14. Our economy

Bring the troops home,let them spend their money here and help our economy.

[Bigmack]

17. Rome... nt