US troop reductions in Germany

The Pentagon announced details of planned changes to America's military presence in Europe on Thursday, with German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere meeting with American Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in Washington.

The US plans to reduce the number of troops in Europe from about 80,000 to 70,000 by 2017. Most of those reductions will come in Germany.

The 170th and 172nd infantry brigades, based in Baumholder and Grafenwöhr, respectively, will be inactivated. The 170th will be inactivated this year, with the 172nd to follow in 2013. Each brigade has around 3,800 troops. Two air force squadrons stationed in Germany and Italy will also be inactivated.

Still a sizeable force

Even with the departure of the two large brigades, over 40,000 American troops will remain in Germany.

"I am very grateful, as are all American people, for the very warm hospitality U.S. troops and their families enjoy in Germany," said Panetta in a joint press conference with de Maiziere. "Germany has been an incredible host for our troops and their families."

He added that de Maiziere "understands the necessity of the shifts we are making as we work to implement our new defense strategy while meeting our fiscal responsibilities."

The US had previously stated its intent to rein in military spending and refocus its strategy in Asia.

Similar situations

De Maiziere, speaking through an interpreter, said the US plans for pulling troops out of Germany had been "transparent from the very beginning," and said that the impact would be "moderate."

He noted that even with the troop reductions, "it is without a doubt that Germany will remain the country where the bulk of U.S. troops will remain stationed, and this underscores that Germany is a strategically valuable along with a strategically indispensable location for our American friends."

Germanyis undergoing similar belt-tightening of its military, having recently made the switch from a conscription army to an all-volunteer force. Therefore, de Maiziere said, "I cannot criticize the United States of America for doing something that we ourselves do."

Karzai's comments

Meanwhile, Panetta addressed comments made by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Karzai told the paper that talks had recently taken place between the US, the Afghan government, and the Taliban. Karzai was quoted as saying that the Taliban were "definitely" interested in a peace settlement to end the war in Afghanistan that has gone on for ten years.

"It's always been important for us to make clear that reconciliation has to be Afghan-led," said Panetta when asked about Karzai's remarks at Thursday's press conference. "What President Karzai's statement confirmed is that Afghanistan is now very much involved in the process of reconciliation. And that's extremely helpful and important to determining whether or not we are ultimately going to be able to succeed with reconciliation or not."

De Maiziere added that "these talks will be better the less we talk on them."

mz/slk (Reuters, AFP)