U.S. Closing 11 Bases in Germany

By the end of 2007, a mere 18 years after the end of the Cold War, the United States will withdraw from some of the smaller bases in Germany.

US announces German base closures (BBC)

US troops will pull out of 11 bases in southern Germany in 2007 as part of a shake-up of US forces around the world. The bases, mainly in Bavaria, are home to the 1st Infantry Division which will return to the US in 2006, the defence department said in a statement. It will be replaced by smaller forces able to react rapidly to new threats. Up to 70,000 US troops currently in Europe and Asia are to be redeployed in accordance with plans announced by President George W Bush last year.

[…]

Five sites in Kitzingen in Bavaria will be handed back to German authorities, while three bases in Wuerzburg near Frankfurt in central Germany will be shut, said a statement by the US European command. The other bases are in Giebelstadt, a small town near Wuerzburg.

An end of an era. U.S. troops have been in Germany for over 60 years.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Brian J. says:

    About time. We won the war, but lost the peace apparently, since Germans elected Schroeder and his ilk.

  2. DC Loser says:

    Since when is a democratic election a loss for us?

  3. DC Loser says:

    Oh and by the way, the only bases mentioned are small forward bases by the looks of them. I didn’t see any mention of any of the mega-bases in the Frankfurt or Kaiserslautern areas being closed. If we close those bases, then we’re really serious about leaving Germany. These are small potatoes.

  4. Lt bell says:

    more smokescreen , more BS, keep your eye OFF the ball.

    yes we are closing 11 bases in Germany and ONE in
    Uzebekistan apparently – and Rumsfeld say its all OK -we have other options- our friend near
    Iraq wants us to leave. The coalition of the willing is showing its true colors.

    AND where is Osama Bin Laden?
    where is The Treason inspired Karl Rove
    where is the ethically challenged president
    of the USA
    Is haliburton in charge in Iraq???????

    keep your eye OFF the ball

  5. Marcia L. Neil says:

    Yeah, we finally have photos of the castles, probably travelogues too, and tours arranged. And, the ‘Berlin Wall’ intended to keep out causal influx towards the historical sites, may have also been removed. But did Germany deserve punishment when members of other nations sought direct residency in the ancient fortresses?

  6. yetanotherjohn says:

    “The coalition of the willing is showing its true colors.” Since when is Germany part of the coalition of the willing. They ran second to France for snarkiest allies you wouldn’t want to turn your back on.

    Actually, I would think the left would be happy. 64 years after a Democrat got us into a war, we are starting to develop and exit plan.

  7. John Thacker says:

    Uzbekistan is ruled by a dictator who abuses human rights. I’m glad that we chose to get kicked out rather than silence our criticism of his human rights record. I don’t find that “ethically challenged” at all.

  8. Jack Ehrlich says:

    Lt Bell in his comments stated treason and mentioned Karl Rove. Facts not in evidence. The truth is it is an out right lie. Plame was not undercover, and Rove did not mention her name. Talking about taking your eye off the ball, I want to know why Wilson lied about who sent him, who he sent his report to, and what he found. A Congressional investigation contradicts everything Wilson said. As for troops in Germany, part of me says bring them all home, the other part says we need to keep them there. Their presents has prevented any war in Europe for quite a while, when nothing else ever has.