Bush to announce US troop pullouts from Europe, Asia on Monday

[Tom Earp]

Sorry ktsnake, no comment on Iran!

The newest Fast Stike Force Vehical is way over Weight for the C-130

Hell, the HVs are killing Our Troops along with The Vest of Non-Bullit Poof!

Okay, lets pull Troops back from Asia, S. Korea, and Europe!

Not a problem, Get OUR People Back.. N0W, turn Them into a Instant Strike Force.

Shit does that sound good!

Okay, How Do We as Americans Male sure They are Protected!!!!

I guess I am A Conservative, it not Bomb The Ass Wholes with The Big One!

Oh, maybe I am a moderate now!

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
This article sheds some light on the gorilla comment:
Bush admin is pressuring Iran in a similar fashion as they did Iraq 2 years ago.

That's an interesting article, but it does not back up labeachgrl's claim that, "the Administration will be ramping up going to war with Iran in September." Her claim is actually ridiculous because its almost logistically impossible, regardless of the political will and intentions of the Bush Administration.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
Its about time. We can't afford to be the stabilizing element there anymore. The Europeans need to sink or swim.

Actually, according to former Ambassador Richard Holbrook, Germany and France pay for a fair amount of the cost of our troops stationed in their countries and this will probably actually cost us more to maintain these formations back here at home.

I can't understand the logic of pulling troops out of South Korea when there is a nation with proven weapons of mass destruction in the antagonistic state just next door.

It was also mentioned that this is a long planned move, that the first troop movement wouldn't happen until 2006 and simple math would indicate that 70,000 troops over a ten year period amounts to an average of 7,000 troops per year -- a minute number really.

So, why the big announcement now?

[swissmiss04]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
So, why the big announcement now?

Was this a rhetorical question?

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Was this a rhetorical question?

Could be a political or could be a logistical move. Hard to tell this early in the game.

We don't have the Big Bad Evil Empire breathing down the Fulda Gap, and we might be pulling a head-fake on Kim Jong Il. (For those not familiar, the Fulda Gap is one of the narrowest points in the old East/West German frontier, near the town of Fulda, and a very logical invasion route for the Russkies, which is why the heaviest concentrations of US and NATO troops were stationed there.)

Strict environmental laws in Germany are keeping the U.S. Army from operating their training area in Graefenwohr; now that Poland and most of Eastern Europe are members of NATO, I wouldn't be surprised if there are deployments to Polish or Eastern European training areas once used by the commies.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Was this a rhetorical question?

No.

There has been talk of this ever since the Cold War 'ended'. Glad to see it actually put into action. I've seen some news sources reporting how Germany is worrying about the drawback, due to economic reasons. Duh, when you have 70,000+ troops leaving a single country, it's going to have an impact. But it's not going to happen overnight, it'll take a decade or so to drawback the 100,000 or so troops stationed in Europe.

Also, not all of them are coming 'home'. While many may return to the States, some may simply re-deploy to "forward operating locations" in southern and eastern Europe (makes sense with all of the activity in that region and closeby in Southwest Asia and the Middle East).

What kills me is that Kerry is whining about it! C'mon, get some common sense JFK.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by NickLc24

What kills me is that Kerry is whining about it! C'mon, get some common sense JFK.

It's his job to complain -- even if there is no logical reason for doing so.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Actually, according to former Ambassador Richard Holbrook, Germany and France pay for a fair amount of the cost of our troops stationed in their countries and this will probably actually cost us more to maintain these formations back here at home.

I can't understand the logic of pulling troops out of South Korea when there is a nation with proven weapons of mass destruction in the antagonistic state just next door.

It was also mentioned that this is a long planned move, that the first troop movement wouldn't happen until 2006 and simple math would indicate that 70,000 troops over a ten year period amounts to an average of 7,000 troops per year -- a minute number really.

So, why the big announcement now?

As well regarded as Richard Holbrooke is, he has been trashing the Bush administration none stop for the last four years. He's also a leading consultant for the Kerry campaign.

Unless you show me a spreadsheet, its just hot air. Is he factoring in the economic stimulus that Europe now enjoys at the expense of economic stimulus that is not occuring in the US? I doubt it. Is he factoring in the cost of the Armed Forces current poor retention rate, and how stationing those troops in the US will help alleviate this problem? Probably not.

I really hope that we pull these troops out of Europe.

As far as South Korea goes, I agree that its not a good idea. My guess is that this is just posturing to get South Korea, and/or the other nations that are actively involved addressing the North Korean issue, to move on some point of negotiations of which none of us are aware.

As far as the announcement coming now, it has to happen sometime. I'm sure that politics factored into the language of the announcement, but I doubt that this idea is simple election year posturing.

[AKA_Monet]

As far as pulling troops outta the EU... Fine... It probably does cost too much. It does call into question the "trade tarriff deal" that Bush made... I forgot if it was for or against the American Unionized workers??? Anyhow, the EU--mainly run by France--probably got too prissy (and pissy) about too much trading tarriff deficits, that they choked Bush into needing to pull out the troops there... But that's my conspiracy theory for the day and I have no data to back my claim up... But it does sound fishy...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As far as pulling troops outta Asia, what about the N.Korea issue? That would be my concern. Then Malaysia or some Musilim Asian country losing their mind and training terrorists camps and blowing things up for the smell of it would concern me at bit... How could we get a grasp of it??? Unless, the US has thought of another plan... Which is highly likely and it might involve China a bit more--but that's my speculation and I could be wrong... Let's hope so.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
As far as pulling troops outta the EU... Fine... It probably does cost too much. It does call into question the "trade tarriff deal" that Bush made... I forgot if it was for or against the American Unionized workers??? Anyhow, the EU--mainly run by France--probably got too prissy (and pissy) about too much trading tarriff deficits, that they choked Bush into needing to pull out the troops there... But that's my conspiracy theory for the day and I have no data to back my claim up... But it does sound fishy...

France doesn't put in near the amount of support to the EU as does Germany. I'd say Germany also has more influence. From my travels in Europe, I've seen MANY more German companies opening up factories in other European counties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As far as pulling troops outta Asia, what about the N.Korea issue? That would be my concern. Then Malaysia or some Musilim Asian country losing their mind and training terrorists camps and blowing things up for the smell of it would concern me at bit... How could we get a grasp of it??? Unless, the US has thought of another plan... Which is highly likely and it might involve China a bit more--but that's my speculation and I could be wrong... Let's hope so.

I think our biggest concern is the Phillipines. So far, through our cooperation with the government there, our combined efforts have been VERY effective.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Everyone should keep in mind that if these proposals go through, we do now have a quasi-permanent military base in Qatar that is fairly new.

On the European front, those forward deployed troops were not an advantage when we went into Afghanistan and Iraq. Having a base of operations in Qatar is great, but we really need are about a hundred more C-17s so that we can get our equipment, and troops, anywhere we need.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
As well regarded as Richard Holbrooke is, he has been trashing the Bush administration none stop for the last four years. He's also a leading consultant for the Kerry campaign.

Unless you show me a spreadsheet, its just hot air.

Some people don't like other people's policies and they criticize them. That doesn't make them wrong. It also doesn't make them right.

I agree. Show me a spreadsheet, Mr. President. You, too, Mr. Kerry.