President Trump’s long-standing stance that overseas hosts of US troops are not paying enough for them always seemed like it was about defraying costs of America’s vast overseas presence. Indications are now that Trump believes the US can turn a profit on it.
Instead of just demanding that nations pay more of the cost of the US military’s presence in their country, Trump is now insisting on “cost plus 50.” To be specific, the administration wants 100% of the cost of US troop hosting to be covered by the other nation, and another 50% given to the US on top of that for the privilege of US troops being there.
While South Korea had one of the more generous deals for the US, paying around half of the cost for the large number of troops there, the US pushed for, and got, a substantial increase to 80%. That was presented as a big win for Trump in negotiations, but can he really repeat this with everyone else?
Getting a country from paying 50% to 80% is no small challenge. For many other countries, however, this “cost plus 50” demand isn’t just a percentage increase, it is demanding five or six times the amount they’re presently paying. That’s a huge increase for many nations, and it’s unlikely a lot of them will be either inclined to do so, or in some cases literally able to bear such a cost.
The people of host nations are already paying premiums well in excess of the military’s operating costs: Consider the fouling of local environments, the sexual abuse of local women, and the risk of being a target when Uncle Sam provokes a conflict with yet another “enemy”.
Make the Host countries pay,,but better to just bring the troops home, just keep most important bases.
The only important bases are located in the US. We don’t need any others. Zero. Zilch. Fu**ing Nada.
wars, No, there are a few we do need.
No, there are not. Not one of them is needed for self defense.
A sure way of getting troops sent home. No one is going to come up with the extra cash. The people of many of these host countries will be glad to see the troops go.
Hilarious….a 50% pay raise for being occupied.
Maybe some of those countries will have to make cuts to their socialist programs. Or better yet, they say “no deal” and we start shrinking the Empire.
I love this! Absolutely love it. Just imagine Germany’s chancellor having to make her already reluctant people actually pay for the pleasure of increasing their risk of being nuked and the wonderful trade wars with Russia that are costing them billions. Same in Japan, Korea, Italy … And the E Europeans can’t afford it :). A brilliant way to end empire.
…….And perhaps start the next ??? Or maybe the elite parasites will find a new host country ?
Perhaps. But I don’t think this Trump effort was in the empire playbook. But, yeah, these people never give up.
Caliman, Maybe, this is just the genius of Trump that people (like Raimondo) keep trying to tell us about. I can’t think of a better way to get nations around the World to ask us to get our troops out because they wish to provide their own military protection. It will start at plus 50%, then go to 75%, 100% – until the host nations say “No Thanks!”. Trump is either a genius who will end our Empire or an idiot which will do the same.
Why not? No vassal state has leaders with any courage or integrity. None will ask American protection-racket soldiers to go home.
With this request for contributions from allies, the US is just being honest about why it needs its humongous military: its for a protection racket. Europe has been silent about the huge military buildup over decades, considering NATO sufficient. Nor has Europe very motivated to rearm after the devastations of WW II. Was Europe ever consulted about the military expenditures being made supposedly for its protection? No. In fact allies often offered to create their own military units and replace the burden on the US. Yet, how could anyone not notice the cost of the US military? Eleven nuclear powered aircraft carriers? Who is the enemy? At what point would it break the bank? Has the day come? Look at the deficits. Look at the US infrstructure and social welfare system. Look at the quality of its leaders.
Anything that move us in the direction of bringing all the troops home is good news to me.
Hopefully others don’t cave like Seoul.
The non-interventionist peace president just wants to turn a little profit for the war machine. What’s the problem?
This is almost “Hessian”. The ruler of the German state of Hesse made his soldiers available for hire. They were after all his personal property. King George II of England hired lots of them. Here is how it worked: first KG had to pay up front for the right to have Hessian soldier X fight and risk his life for the Kingdom. Once X was serving KG the King had to pay a daily (or monthly, I forgot) rent for X. If X got killed in the service of KG the king had to pay the ruler of Hesse for the loss of one of his properties. Today we would probably call that a racket. The ruler of Hesse could not lose.
President Trump is turning our soldiers into Hessians.
What happened to the Hessians who fought against Washington? President Washington allowed many to stay here and become US citizens.
Good. It is time to find out if they are really in need of our military protectikn or not. A
bit of security risk assessment is in order. Some of those countries are maintaining US military on their soil for no other reason then domestic politics. I do not
think Americans are aware of the power of neocon politucal version in Europe. They are literally clones. Their only domestic power is derived from the “special” relationship called Euro-Atlantic . This is what binds this brotherhood — these are bonds of imperial ambitions, something that locals resent. But it always looks like, and is portrayed by politicians as US that is shoving military presence down their throats.
May be it is time for truth. Our neocons will not be able to forge neocon alliances in Europe by having European neocons singing praises to American “leadership”, while spineless politicians almost inevetably portray US forces as US imposed, thus let US pay.
By changing the paradigm, let every country decide if they need to spend the money on our protection. Let them pay through the nose, and more likely they will conclude that their security is not really in danger.
If Trump was a smart man, I could be confident that this is his way of pulling US troops out of SKorea.
Given his poor record, this is probably no more than an attempt to squeeze more blood out of a helpless victim whom it has cornered with the threat of trade sanctions and WWIII.