Republicans: Keep US troops in Germany

WASHINGTON – A group of 22 Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee sent a letter to US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to reject proposals to cut the number of US troops in Germany by 9,500 – from 34,500 to 25,000.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the president directed the Pentagon to remove thousands of military personnel from Germany. “We believe that such steps would significantly damage US national security as well as strengthen the position of Russia to our detriment,” the letter reads.

“We strongly believe that NATO allies, such as Germany, should do more to contribute to our joint defense efforts,” the members added in their letter.

“At the same time, we also know that the forward stationing of American troops since the end of World War II has helped to prevent another world war and, most importantly, has helped make America safer.”

“In Europe, the threats posed by Russia have not lessened, and we believe that signs of a weakened US commitment to NATO will encourage further Russian aggression and opportunism,” the letter reads.

“In addition, the overall limit on troops would prevent us from conducting the exercises that are necessary for the training and readiness of our forces and those of our allies. The troop limit would also significantly reduce the number of US forces that can flow through Germany for deployment to bases around the world, causing serious logistical challenges.”