News analysis

Talk about major reduction of US troops in Germany fuels ongoing debate over security

US soldiers are seen at a training site in Grafenwoehr, Germany, on March 4, 2020. PHOTO: AFP
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BERLIN - According to the Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to pull out close to 10,000 troops from Germany by September this year. If true, this would mean the reduction ofalmost one-third of all the American soldiers currently based in the country. However, the massive public outcry the news has caused might be premature.

Once the dust has settled, it may turn out that such a withdrawal is not at all in the best interest of the US - and the idea will be buried. At the same time, the debate is testament to the bad state of relations between the US and its once most important ally in continental Europe.

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