German DM: US Pullout a Cause for Concern

Officials seek clarification on actual US plans soon

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer warned the US that troops being removed from Germany must remain in Europe, or else it would raise doubts about their commitment to NATO. She particularly warned against sending the troops to the Pacific.

Kramp-Karrenbauer downplayed the troops as having a role in US-Germany relations, saying the US pullout wouldn’t harm ties at all. President Trump has been mad at Germany for not spending more on their military.

US lawmakers who are opposed to the drawdown are pushing for the administration to offer clarifications on what their plans actually are. The drawdown has been announced multiple times, but the specifics have so far not been made public.

The US is planning to remove 9,500 troops from Germany, and reports are that as many as 2,000 might go to Poland. There has been no word of the troops going anywhere else in Europe.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.