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U.S. Troops Likely to Leave Germany

November 26, 2003
https://p.dw.com/p/4NEx

The United States said it will be intensifying consultations with its allies about the stationing of its troops abroad, saying it will immediately seek to redeploy troops, ships and aircraft. The Bush administration indicated that nations such as Germany and Japan, which have long hosted thousands of U.S. troops, can expect to see a significant decrease in the U.S. military presence. The goal, according to U.S. President George W. Bush, is to "place the right capabilities in the most appropriate locations to best address the new security environment." The U.S. government indicated months ago that it would drastically reduce the number of its troops stationed in Germany -- currently at about 70,000 -- adding that it planned to relocate some troops to eastern European countries. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stressed that final decisions haven’t been made yet. "How it all turns out depends largely on our discussions with our friends and allies," Rumsfeld said.