US President, Trump threatens American troops from Germany to be deducted. So he was against a for over 70 years Tradition. The two countries have Long had interests in common.
For a long time, the Federal Republic of Germany was a front-line state. After the end of the Second world war, she lapped at some of the of the then Soviet-dominated, Communist countries of Eastern Europe. As Germany was after the defeat of the “third Reich”, an important component of U.S. defense strategy in Europe. In particular, during the 1945 to 1955, continuing allied occupation after the Second world war, around 400,000 foreign soldiers were stationed in Germany, half of them Americans.
Although the number of troops has fallen dramatically since then, but the US military is, in spite of the current dispute over the cost of stationing in Germany continues to be a significant number present. A number of U.S. military bases continues.
Today, the strategic importance of Germany for the USA in the Central office of the “U.S. European Command” (EUCOM) is reflected, in the southwest of Stuttgart. It is the Central coordinating body for all American forces in 51 predominantly European countries.
The task of EUCOM is to protect the U.S. and defend it. This is done in the command prevents the Central conflict as far as possible, in case of doubt, but also a deterrent effect. In addition, it supports the common defence Alliance NATO and TRANS-acts to counter national threats. Under the command of EUCOM, U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the US Marine Corps Forces Europe, all of which have offices in Germany are also available.
High visit: US President Donald Trump on the air base Ramstein
Dimensions of a site
Overall, Germany is home to around 38,600 soldiers, the largest part of the US troops in Europe. However, the Numbers vary, since the troops will always be laid back in other countries. Nevertheless, Germany is, after Japan, the country, in the world, the largest contingents of the US military to stop it.
However, the Figures in the last few years have gone back. Information from the Federal government, according to the number of stationed in Germany the US has halved troops between 2006 and 2018 by 72.400 on 33.250 more than. Cause of decline in a changed global security situation, the U.S. military also by redeployments of troops has to respond to.
Marines, soldiers and air forces
The U.S. military announced, according to the Figures of the five garrisons currently include about 29,000 soldiers. This is also the “US Marine Corps of Europe and Africa is included”, with its headquarters in Böblingen in the South-West of Germany.
In approximately 9600 members of the U.S. air force are at different locations in Germany, such as the two U.S. air force bases in Ramstein and Spangdahlem.
In Training: soldiers on the U.S. base in grafenwoehr
US military in Germany: More than just troops
In the U.S. military facilities not only soldiers, but also American civilians are engaged. In addition, many members of the army to bring their families Overseas. In this way, form around the US bases, major civilian communities. Some of them, such as the base at Ramstein, have become to small towns. They include not only barracks, airfields, training grounds and depots, but also own shopping centers, schools, postal services and police. The US Dollar is the key statutory means of payment.
Also, the world’s largest US army base is in Germany, namely Bavaria garrison in grafenwoehr, near the border to the Czech Republic. With a surface area of about 390 square kilometers, it towers over the bases all of the other US. Also more people live there than in any other institution of the U.S. military, namely, around 4,000 soldiers and their families.
At the vertices of many of the Locals work often. The bases are an economic stimulus for the surrounding German communities, whose businesses offer Goods and services. As some of the bases have been decommissioned, such as the army garrison in Bamberg, Germany in the year 2014, this had a significant impact on the local economy. It is also for this reason, many languages in the vicinity of active U.S. military facilities from German man living against a possible troop reductions.
Criticism of the vertices
But the US station not kidney points of your aircraft alone, on your own support. A number of non-American Air bases in Germany. In addition, a fact that many of the German sharply criticize are stationed on the basis of the military nuclear agreements, the NATO of around 20 nuclear weapons on the German airbase Büchel in West Germany.
Also, the fact is disputed, that the Ramstein air base is used as a control center for drone strikes in Yemen and elsewhere. Also the many German brings.
The financial commitment of Germany
The Federal government has provided in the last seven years, around 243 million euros to support the country of US troops. The sum includes pension payments for former workers, as well as expenditures for the maintenance of buildings and land.
In addition, the Federal government provided a further EUR 480 million for the coverage of NATO-related construction costs in Germany. They went “almost exclusively” to the land of the U.S. army, as the answer to a parliamentary reply by the Ministry of Finance, to the left of the party revealed.