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Germany Says Protection of U.S. Bases to End

Sun May 2, 8:54 AM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Defense Minister Peter Struck said Germany will stop protecting U.S. military bases in the country at the end of 2004 and would not send troops to help a NATO (news - web sites) force police Iraq (news - web sites), a newspaper reported Sunday.

"We want to put an end to the German army's protection of American installations by the end of the year," said Struck in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. "We're now negotiating an end to the guarding process."

A Defense Ministry spokesman said discussions about ending the German army's policing of U.S. bases had been going on since the start of the year.

"The United States is gearing itself up for this accordingly," the spokesman said.

Some 2,500 German soldiers have protected U.S. barracks and other installations from attack since the start of 2003 because many U.S. troops stationed in Germany -- who would normally have performed the task themselves -- are now in Iraq.


Struck also said Germany would not take part in any prospective NATO security force in Iraq once the U.S.-led coalition transfers sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government at the end of June.


"It seems highly uncertain if and when NATO will be asked for support," said Struck. "Whatever the case, Germany will not take part in it. The army will only provide special aircraft to transport wounded if this proves necessary."

With friends like these...


"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier."

Kipling-

If and when things settle down, who do you suppose will be there with their hand out, looking for reconstruction opportunities...?

"Live every day like it's the last, 'cause one day you're gonna be right!" Ray Charles

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

Anyone ever get the feeling too many people Sprechen sie Deutsche and Parleis vous-Franceis nowadays? We seriously need to cut back on the amount of people talking French and German...

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI

I say we pull out of Germany...I'm sure there are plenty of former Eastern Block countries that would welcome a US presence...

<img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/70th.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/Mav_shot.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/25.jpg" border=0>

_________________

I understand Poland has expressed a great interest in hosting a US base.

"face it....perhaps your only purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others!"

Macedonia, Hungry, the Stans etc, all want a peice of the US Taxpayer Coffers.......

In all honesty their is nowhere we need to be in "Modern Europe"

If the Russian Union decide to Blitzkreg accross the Western Front.

I say have a great Fuckn Time. Pack plenty of Rubbers and Vodka...

Cheap entertainment abounds you!

"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader

Edited by - mrmudd on May 03 2004 06:54 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Macedonia, Hungry, the Stans etc, all want a peice of the US Taxpayer Coffers.......

In all honesty their is nowhere we need to be in "Modern Europe"

If the Russian Union decide to Blitzkreg accross the Western Front.

I say have a great Fuckn Time. Pack plenty of Rubbers and Vodka...

Cheap entertainment abounds you!

"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader

Edited by - mrmudd on May 03 2004 06:54 AM
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Couldn't agree more.....

<img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/70th.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/Mav_shot.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/25.jpg" border=0>

_________________

Lanstul is a great medical facility. They should keep that. But the Army bases can be moved east, though I'd probably keep a brigade in Germany.

BTW what's hajji?

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Macedonia, Hungry, the Stans etc, all want a peice of the US Taxpayer Coffers.......

In all honesty their is nowhere we need to be in "Modern Europe"

If the Russian Union decide to Blitzkreg accross the Western Front.

I say have a great Fuckn Time. Pack plenty of Rubbers and Vodka...

Cheap entertainment abounds you!

"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader

Edited by - mrmudd on May 03 2004 06:54 AM
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Couldn't agree more.....

<img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/70th.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/Mav_shot.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/25.jpg" border=0>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>I'll third that.

You look as lost as a bastard child on Fathers day.

_________________
\"One of you is gonna fall and die, and I'm not cleaning it up\"

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Macedonia, Hungry, the Stans etc, all want a peice of the US Taxpayer Coffers.......

In all honesty their is nowhere we need to be in "Modern Europe"

If the Russian Union decide to Blitzkreg accross the Western Front.

I say have a great Fuckn Time. Pack plenty of Rubbers and Vodka...

Cheap entertainment abounds you!

"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader

Edited by - mrmudd on May 03 2004 06:54 AM
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Couldn't agree more.....

<img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/70th.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/Mav_shot.jpg" border=0><img src="http://img23.photobucket.com/albums/v70/prkiii/25.jpg" border=0>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>I'll third that.

You look as lost as a bastard child on Fathers day.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Fourth that

Lithuania comes to mind for relocating. Nato's newest member might show more hospitality and welcome U.S. Military bases & US tax payer coffers.

"Sure, stop here. This is the right place for our foul, nihilistic mood. No place could be better. Let's all riverdance. I can be lord of the motherless dance. I'm a Mick. Bite me"

_________________

A hajji is someone of the Muslim faith who has made the trip to Mecca. For the average Joe Muhammed, it's a title of honor. Kinda like being knighted and called "Sir Something or Other".

"Live every day like it's the last, 'cause one day you're gonna be right!" Ray Charles

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

If you ask me a Haji is the perfect bore-sighting tool.

"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier."

Kipling-

Putin would shitsky if we moved any of our bases East...But the infastructure is there, and they want us there, which is more than I can say about our former cold war and NATO brethren...

We ARE moving the bases eastward(though if you ask me we should be building bases eastward but sending the bulk of the troops that leave Germany westward to CONUS).

By 2010 there will be no major US bases anywhere in 'old europe' with the exception of the UK, and perhaps Italy.

"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier."

Kipling-

umm, am I reading this right? The Germs are refusing to protect US bases <u>IN GERMANY</u>?

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Yep.

Sure hope ole' Klaus don't mind the locked and loaded M-16 packing perimeter patrols we replace their polezei with.

"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier."

Kipling-

jesus K ryst.
The Nazi politicle heads were scum but even the Nazi regulars would spin in thier grave at such a lack of military profesionalism !

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

please dont ban me!!<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Mankind has always dreamed of destroying the sun" -- Mr. Burns

_________________
\"My name's Pitt, and you ain't talkin' your ass outta this shit.\"

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
please dont ban me!!<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Mankind has always dreamed of destroying the sun" -- Mr. Burns
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Ban you? That'd be too kind. We've already started a plan of long drawn out internet agony, since we hold you responsible for Scroeder's pre-OIF actions. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Sure, stop here. This is the right place for our foul, nihilistic mood. No place could be better. Let's all riverdance. I can be lord of the motherless dance. I'm a Mick. Bite me"

_________________

Sorry Homer. Nice knowin' ya!

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI