US troop withdrawal from Europe to take 'years' - general

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: DW

11 hours ago


The US will take years to withdraw its troops from Europe, NATO top commander Alexus Grynkewich said Tuesday. It comes after US President Donald Trump announced a decision to pull about 5,000 troops out of Germany and cancel the deployment of long-range Tomahawk missiles.

What did the general say about US withdrawal from Europe?

The general stressed that the US withdrawal would be coordinated with European allies' strengthening of their own defense capabilities.

"As the European pillar of the alliance gets stronger, this allows the US to reduce its presence in Europe and limit itself to providing only those critical capabilities that allies cannot yet provide," Grynkewich told reporters after a meeting of NATO military chiefs at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

"We're going to stay well-synchronized with our allies moving forward," he said. "I can't really give you an exact timeline; it's going to be an ongoing process for several years.". Grynkewich is a US Air Force general and serves as the NATO military alliance's Supreme Allied Commander.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/us-troop-withdrawal-from-europe-to-take-years-general/a-77221778

[JohnnyRingo]

1. Dragging their combat boots?

I recall in his 1st term, military brass saying they slow walked some of his more insane demands until he got distracted by something else. Which he always did.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. You might recall during the '80s & '90s and into the 2000s, all the base closures and merges

That was handled (per a 1949 law) via the "Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC)".

That's when (as an example) Fort Dix became part of "Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst", combining 3 NJ Bases (Air Force, Army, Naval Air). It took years for all those closures/realignments/staff moves.

[JohnnyRingo]

5. I do remember BRAC now.

I'm sure Trump doesn't so he'll want it done with the snap of his fingers.
Unless he finds something new to ruin.
I have a hard time keeping up. He can't remember everything he's ordered the administration to do.

[thesquanderer]

2. As CIC, I'd think Trump could order them out quickly, regardless of the consequences, if he were so determined.

Ultimately, that's basically what we had to do in Afghanistan (though there were no good options there, and the generals were presumably on-board).

[republianmushroom]

3. No, that would be an orderly withdraw

not a trump wet dream withdrawal.