American Worldwide Withdrawal Begins

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph

This is a matter of definition. To meddle into a civil war from outside, thus making it an interstate war, could as well been seen as having started the war in the word's classical sense. A civil war is an internal affair and justifies external intervention only in rare exceptions.

I disagree. Maybe the reports we got coming out of the former Yugoslavia were not 100% accurate, but the motivation to act to prevent crimes against humanity (genocide) is legitimate. The same impulse has led to interventions in other nasty internal situations and has not been condemned. Most recently the US-Francophonie intervention in Haiti, in the absense of genocide, simply put a stop to a very unpleasant situation for the civilian population.

[The Mad Monk]

My prior post was directed at your next-to-last post, not your last post, which I disagree with.

BTW, Kerry wants the troops to stay put.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph


Really? I must have forgotten this. But the Russians left 1991. So why are you still here?

Hey, don't blame me! I left in 1987 and I wanted the troops to come home right after the wall fell.

[Harovan]

I don't blame anyone. All I do is to applaud a right and long overdue decision and to express my joy about it, even though some here try to spoil it (without success, I may add). I even wished your troops safe travels, in case you didn't notice it. The only bad thing is, that the bases will not be disbanded entirely. I hope, to meet a decision for this last step will not take as long as the first one.

[Ned]

Sir Ralph, is your attitude typical of Germans?

What does the German government have to say about this?

[Harovan]

The average attitude on my side of the fence (Bavaria) is either to shrug or to hold thumbs up (I think about fifty-fifty). I haven't heard any reaction from officials, so I guess it was a long planned move. The only reaction from politicians I heard was from one conservate (opposition), who feared it would leave Europe defenseless. Bah, what a jackass. It's a good time for Europe to put up its own military. The US demand this since long ago.

[Ned]

Does anyone know the history of our troop levels in Germany? Right after the war ended, we pulled out the bulk of our forces, but kept approximated 400,000 as "police" and border guards. We had several years of chaos after the war as the Nazi's put up an armed resistance.

Then the cold war started.

When I was a kid, we still had around 3-400,000 in Germany, IIRC. I think we had 125,000 or so in 1991 when the Gulf war broke out.

Our pullout has taken a lot longer than anyone forsaw. I am willing to bet that Truman originally predicted that all our forces would be withdrawn in a few years.

[Harovan]

A lot of forces had been withdrawn throughout the 90's already. At present, there are about 70000 left, although a substantial part of them seems to be in Iraq (I often see stickers like "Half my heart is in Iraq" or "Keep daddy safe" on US cars, as I drive through Bamberg).

[Spiffor]

Re: American Worldwide Withdrawal Begins

Originally posted by PLATO

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5707856/

Good thing or bad thing? I have mixed feelings...

Excellent thing. American troops weren't needed in Europe anymore, so this withdrawal is simply the sane option.

[Ned]

Re: Re: American Worldwide Withdrawal Begins

Originally posted by Spiffor



Excellent thing. American troops weren't needed in Europe anymore, so this withdrawal is simply the sane option.

Well, it looks like the Europeans are more than comfortable with the pullout.

I wonder just what Kerry had in mine when he so strongly criticized the pullout from Germany. He typically says we have to be "sensitive" to the opinions of our "allies."

[Harovan]

Re: Re: Re: American Worldwide Withdrawal Begins

Originally posted by Ned
Well, it looks like the Europeans are more than comfortable with the pullout.

The European leftists at least, Ned. I bet Winston has different feelings.

By the way, where have you been so long? You have been missed. (I know, many others already said that)

[Dis]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
I don't blame anyone. All I do is to applaud a right and long overdue decision and to express my joy about it, even though some here try to spoil it (without success, I may add). I even wished your troops safe travels, in case you didn't notice it. The only bad thing is, that the bases will not be disbanded entirely. I hope, to meet a decision for this last step will not take as long as the first one.

It is still useful to have the hospital over there and a base to support it. Maybe a quick attack force as well. The hospital is used for wounded troops in Iraq if you haven't noticed.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Dissident
It is still useful to have the hospital over there and a base to support it. Maybe a quick attack force as well. The hospital is used for wounded troops in Iraq if you haven't noticed.

Locate your "quick attack forces" elsewhere, please. The same goes for facilities to support your illegal wars.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph


Locate your "quick attack forces" elsewhere, please. The same goes for facilities to support your illegal wars.

the hospital doesn't just support attack troops in Iraq. If a sailor is injured on a ship or in a navy base in Sigonella, Sicily they will fly them to Germany most likely. Though Sigonella has a clinic I believe, but not a fully capable hospital. That hospital in germany is for serious injuries.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Locate your "quick attack forces" elsewhere, please. The same goes for facilities to support your illegal wars.

Which illegal wars are these?