'Don't sever bond of friendship': Four German states urge US to halt troop cuts
The leaders of four German states
have written to US Congress members urging them to halt President Donald
Trump's planned US troop reduction in Germany, reports said Sunday.
Trump said last month he would slash the number of US troops stationed in Germany by 9,500 to 25,000, citing anger with Germany for not sticking to NATO targets on defence spending and for treating the US "badly" on trade.
READ ALSO: Trump approves cutting 9,500 troops in Germany
The decision has caused consternation in Berlin and inside NATO over fears it could undermine the alliance's deterrence capabilities in the face of a resurgent Russia.
In a letter to 13 US Senators and Congress members, the premiers of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate asked them "not to sever the bond of friendship but to strengthen it" by maintaining the US troop presence.
With their bases, combat units, military hospitals and other key infrastructure, the US armed forces in Germany form "the backbone of US presence in Europe and NATO's ability to act", read the letter seen by the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspapers.
The four regional states are all home to US military bases.
Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe, a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II.
READ ALSO: Where in Germany do all the Americans live?
Comments
See Also
Trump said last month he would slash the number of US troops stationed in Germany by 9,500 to 25,000, citing anger with Germany for not sticking to NATO targets on defence spending and for treating the US "badly" on trade.
READ ALSO: Trump approves cutting 9,500 troops in Germany
The decision has caused consternation in Berlin and inside NATO over fears it could undermine the alliance's deterrence capabilities in the face of a resurgent Russia.
In a letter to 13 US Senators and Congress members, the premiers of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate asked them "not to sever the bond of friendship but to strengthen it" by maintaining the US troop presence.
With their bases, combat units, military hospitals and other key infrastructure, the US armed forces in Germany form "the backbone of US presence in Europe and NATO's ability to act", read the letter seen by the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspapers.
The four regional states are all home to US military bases.
Germany hosts more US troops than any other country in Europe, a legacy of the Allied occupation after World War II.
READ ALSO: Where in Germany do all the Americans live?
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.