U.S. to Ramp Up Forces in Germany in Major Reversal
BERLIN (Dispatches) -- The United States will ramp up its forces in Germany amid the latest tensions with Russia over Ukraine, abandoning former President Donald Trump’s plans to withdraw around 12,000 of the 36,000 troops from the fellow NATO country.
"I briefed the minister on our intention to permanently stage an approximately 500 additional U.S. personnel in the Wiesbaden area as early as this fall,” Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin told at press conference after meeting his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, in Berlin.
Last June, Trump had announced his intention to cut the U.S. troop contingent in Germany by about a third, saying Berlin had been taking advantage of the United States while not meeting financial obligations to NATO.
Austin, who as a young lieutenant served in Germany, struck a completely different tone, thanking Berlin for its contribution to NATO interventions as in Afghanistan and taking steps to increase military spending.
Austin evaded questions about whether the deployment of additional troops should be interpreted as a message to Russia amid renewed tensions over Ukraine but stressed the military value for NATO of having more boots on the ground in Europe.
"These forces will strengthen deterrence and defense, and they will augment our existing abilities to prevent conflict and if necessary to fight and win,” he said. "It will greatly improve our ability to surge forces at a moment’s notice to defend our allies.”
They also discussed a pending decision by President Joe Biden on whether to withdraw completely from Afghanistan by May 1, a deadline the Trump administration pledged to the Taliban militants. Germany is a key part of the U.S.-led occupation in Afghanistan.
Austin said at a joint news conference with Kramp-Karrenbauer that the extra 500 U.S. troops will be stationed permanently in Germany’s Wiesbaden area as early as this fall.
Last year, President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 12,000 troops from Germany as retribution for what he considered Germany’s refusal to spend more on its own defense. Austin suspended that move shortly after taking office. He said decisions on troop levels would be made as part of a comprehensive review of the U.S. military presence around the world, including in Europe.
Austin’s announcement on Tuesday is the first concrete indication that he may not carry out the Trump decision, which included moving U.S. European Command headquarters from Germany to Belgium.
"I briefed the minister on our intention to permanently stage an approximately 500 additional U.S. personnel in the Wiesbaden area as early as this fall,” Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin told at press conference after meeting his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, in Berlin.
Last June, Trump had announced his intention to cut the U.S. troop contingent in Germany by about a third, saying Berlin had been taking advantage of the United States while not meeting financial obligations to NATO.
Austin, who as a young lieutenant served in Germany, struck a completely different tone, thanking Berlin for its contribution to NATO interventions as in Afghanistan and taking steps to increase military spending.
Austin evaded questions about whether the deployment of additional troops should be interpreted as a message to Russia amid renewed tensions over Ukraine but stressed the military value for NATO of having more boots on the ground in Europe.
"These forces will strengthen deterrence and defense, and they will augment our existing abilities to prevent conflict and if necessary to fight and win,” he said. "It will greatly improve our ability to surge forces at a moment’s notice to defend our allies.”
They also discussed a pending decision by President Joe Biden on whether to withdraw completely from Afghanistan by May 1, a deadline the Trump administration pledged to the Taliban militants. Germany is a key part of the U.S.-led occupation in Afghanistan.
Austin said at a joint news conference with Kramp-Karrenbauer that the extra 500 U.S. troops will be stationed permanently in Germany’s Wiesbaden area as early as this fall.
Last year, President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 12,000 troops from Germany as retribution for what he considered Germany’s refusal to spend more on its own defense. Austin suspended that move shortly after taking office. He said decisions on troop levels would be made as part of a comprehensive review of the U.S. military presence around the world, including in Europe.
Austin’s announcement on Tuesday is the first concrete indication that he may not carry out the Trump decision, which included moving U.S. European Command headquarters from Germany to Belgium.