rage
February 11, 2003, 08:13 PM
Filed at 4:51 p.m. ET
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-arms-usa-forces.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering shifts in global military deployments, including thousands of U.S. troops in Europe, and will consult allies on any changes, the White House said on Tuesday.
Defense and congressional officials also said studies were under way but stressed that Washington was not seeking to punish Germany, which along with France is bitterly opposed to a possible U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
About 70,000 of the nearly 110,000 U.S. troops in Europe are stationed in Germany, where they have been a lucrative and stabilizing presence for decades during and since the Cold War with the former Soviet Union.
``Our current structures around the world are based on Cold War needs,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said when asked about recent media reports that deep U.S. troop cuts were being considered in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
``While it helps to reinforce important alliance relationships and provides a forward presence and coalition training for U.S. forces, 11 years after the end of the Cold War there is a school of thought to rethink the numbers and types of forces we have in different locations as events warrant,'' the White House spokesman added. ..............
What about that timing? ;)
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-arms-usa-forces.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering shifts in global military deployments, including thousands of U.S. troops in Europe, and will consult allies on any changes, the White House said on Tuesday.
Defense and congressional officials also said studies were under way but stressed that Washington was not seeking to punish Germany, which along with France is bitterly opposed to a possible U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
About 70,000 of the nearly 110,000 U.S. troops in Europe are stationed in Germany, where they have been a lucrative and stabilizing presence for decades during and since the Cold War with the former Soviet Union.
``Our current structures around the world are based on Cold War needs,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said when asked about recent media reports that deep U.S. troop cuts were being considered in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
``While it helps to reinforce important alliance relationships and provides a forward presence and coalition training for U.S. forces, 11 years after the end of the Cold War there is a school of thought to rethink the numbers and types of forces we have in different locations as events warrant,'' the White House spokesman added. ..............
What about that timing? ;)
