PSST, cold war is over! The former superpower enemy USSR has been gone for over 20 years now! And Russian nationalists wouldn't have as much appeal (to the voters there) if some un-named super-power didn't alienate the Russians by always trying to push some missiles on former allies (Poland and the Czech republic) or otherwise antagonize the egos.

But Europe has certainly been a convenient staging hub, hasn't it? And the military critical care hospital in Landstuhl Germany has certainly been a blessing for all the injured from the various Mideastern wars, hasn't it?

All the pleasantries aside, some guests never leave, and after 67 years one may politely bid 'adieu'.

11,000 troop reduction and taking 5 years to do it. Just another way of saying: "well tell you we're doing it but we're not". What are the odds that they can crank up an excuse in a year or two for why we need to cancel the reduction ? 30 years from now the broken US taxpayers will still be pleading for relief and they will still have 100,000 US personnel in Europe, sipping the wine, munchin the cheese and snapping video in all the vacation hotspots.

Interesting thought, hopefully (crossing all my fingers) not.

Maddy, not to worry, That's ODUMBO's next bailout. POOR european countries

"That's ODUMBO's next bailout"

Best ideas we get from republicans is childish name calling. So the bailout didn't work did it? Why did GM just post its best profits ever? Obviously they were worth saving and American jobs were worth saving. Here's something for ya... to cut the budget lets cut military retirements. Those guys make too much money and don't really contribute anything to the country anyway. Lets cut out their generous benefits too.

How does that make you feel?

You are an idiot. 1) GM can't pay back all the money it owes. 2) Retirement benefits are a type of payment for work performed. No work, no benefit. Every large organization has a retirement plan of some sort. I don't know where you get the idea that reasonable job benefits and retirements shouldn't apply to servicemembers. I suppose you think that unlike the private sector, they are obligated to work for free and the government doesn't have to pay competitive wages and benefits to retain people because, you know, public servants do everything from the heart.

Do you squeal like a pig when the auto unions have to give retirement concessions during negotiations with the company?

I agree with Patrick, cut down the military and remove retirements as an incentive to put your life at risk in the service of this nation. THEN, we can draft morons like Patrick and put THEM in harm's way for $88 a month, which was what I was paid at the beginning of MY 33 years of miitary service including combat delployments in 3 wars. Patrick unfortunately is part of a growing group of people in this country that really think freedom is free and that there are no boogey-men, and nations, that would like to turn our nation into dust. This very rationale is WHY we've been in Europe for 67 years, since it's better to wage war from combat deployment platforms as close to our enemy as possible. If people really think that NATO can handle future military challenges, all they have to do is to look how successful NATO has been in previous military conflicts like Darfur-Somalia-Rwanda-Bosnia-Macedonia etc. Libya, was a joke. The fact of the matter is that NATO is NOTHING without the USA pulling the brunt of the military AND the monetary load. Twice in the last 100 years we pulled forces out of Europe, and twice we had World Wars costing over 580,000 American lives. People like Patrick and Smeagle would do well to read their history, for an attribute of most Americans is that they forget their history faster than they learn and - and inherit the same nightmares. The only thing has prevented about 12 generations of Americans and people like Patrick from being butchered in his bed, put in a gulag, or speaking German or Japanese IS the US Miiltary. Enough Said!

I was stationed in Germany over 35 years ago during the Viet Nam fiasco and could understand the need for U.S. armored corps there during the Cold War, but why are they still there? JP's comment that NATO is nothing without U.S. support may or may not be true, but if so, we need to find out by gradually withdrawing our codependency with Europe and force them to defend themselves. Wars are no longer fought with tanks anymore, but with intelligence and air power. If NATO is a dinosaur, then it is time to make modifications to this half century old institution. It made sense for the U.S. to pull the load after WWII, but not now. This is a different world, different economy, and different military defense strategy. If NATO no longer works, then let's scrap it and devise a new alliance composed of equals that works in today's reality. The days are gone when the U.S. could be everyone's "big brother" and protect them from the world's bullys. We are all grown-ups now and we all have the reponsibility to act maturely and pull our own weight.

Also JP, the U.S. was not responsible for either WWI or WWII nor was there anything we could do to prevent those wars. A bigger threat is the the U.S. could be responsible for WWIII by trying to "shock and awe" our way in some world conflict rather than leaving the locals to settle it among themselves. There are bad people and bad things in the world and we can no longer be responsible to be the world's policeman. The U.S. military is larger than all the other nations' militaries put together. This is no longer sustainable for us as a nation or in the balance of power throughout the world. It is time for all to take responsibility for their own security and well being of their citizens. We might do more good by emulating our Canadian neighbors and provide humanitarian and military relief outside our boarders only on the authority of (and funding by) the United Nations. To do otherwise is military imperialism and is degrading to and resented by those we are attempting to help. We don't know what is right for everyone and all deserve the chance to work out our problems within the perimeters of universal fair conduct as determined by the U.N., which of course is long due for a make over to be more responsive to modern crises.

Bob,

Wednsday night on CNN's erin: Iran is a min-war, no american soldiers on the ground. We do not have available soldiers. Expect air forces ex jag, lindsey graham of south carolina to hold sway with his strategic bombing idea.

I agree that we have no soldiers or marines available. I do think our glow boys need to go in and take out the vital equipment.

I say we do nothing! Stay the hell out of the mideast. Let them play their religous stupid games and kill themselves. Bring not all but even more troops home from Europe(germany) and find jobs for them here on our soil and rebuild our economy. I understand that European economy is rough also, but I dont care as much about them as much as I do about Americans and our economy. Its time for our country to spend our tax monies here and not in someone else country.

There was an opinion about 20 years ago that we were undecided. Are we protecting the Germans from the Russians or protecting the Russians from the Germans?

Right now Germany is number two exporter, not USA. Russia wealth doing OK with natural resources sales, but people's society not yet that well off materially. Both have efficient health care.

I am sure London not happy with either, but they still have Canada and their USA colonies to keep them warm and fed.

One of the reasons the countries you name can afford the nanny state lunacy is because the U.S. taxpayer has been paying for their military obligations, take away that and the nanny state becomes even less viable than it currently is. As the U.S. draws closer to becoming another failed nanny state the inevitable civilization collapse gets closer and closer. The cost of the military is chump change in the economy but a visible and easy target to appease the sheep on the left .... no more military will not mean more "free lunch".

good ole winnie. not here at all. we wasted too much time, manpower and money in the Mediterranean areas to keep his empire. We went to calcutta to protect his raj. Moved east through burma fighting the japanese army, and we were serving under british commanders. ended up in viet nam which we held until french returned in 1946.

His schemes of conquest in Italy alone were false strategically. His daily pushed Greece and Yugolslavia campaigns would have extended the dreadful fighting for another year. Adm King shoulda punched him right in the nose.

Today, as loyal servants of europe, we patrol the seas, insuring that BP and Shell get their oil to you for your mercedes. And winnie does not re-imburse us. There is a movement afoot seeking freedom for the north american colonies from british imperial oppression. Stay tuned, should be a good show.

The U.S. has troops in the Balkans as part of a NATO operation and we are only one of the many countries with troops there. We fought the Balkan war as part of a NATO and UN operation and used air power rather than ground troops. If the US is training Georgian troops that would also be part of a NATO operation and do you really think Russia is not capable of overrunning Georgia anytime they choose? While there may be some need to keep stragegic air power in Europe to support NATO operations, we are not capable of being the world's policeman nor should we be. To do do is military imperialism and resented by those we are attempting to help. Why should the U.S. fight our wars in others' territories? Do you not see the arrogance in that "strategy"?

What are you talking .....kosovar muslims love US ,WHO ARE YOU KIDDIN'?How about the air men killed in Germany last year....who did it?is that a sign of love?Who wanted to blow up FORT DIXON?Read more history about Balkans(battle of Kosovo Polje),Serbians aren't angels......but those Yugoslavian wars were Germany's payback (ww2) ,US was used to do the dirty job.

When 2/3s of the deficit is the direct result of mandatory federal spending social welfare programs, the middle-class tax base gutted by clintons "new economy" which has resulted in a real unemployment rate between 20% to 25%, massive influx of illegal foreign nationals of 3rd world excess populations which the government refuses to stop .. just how is the chump change cost of the military going to balance anything? The Republic can not be restored with the failed left agenda of taxing everyone to poverty while wasting resources that do not exist on social welfare programs. You want to balance the budget the middle-class tax base needs to be restored and I do not see that happening.

Dennis, you might want to turn off Fox News for awhile, I think your mind is beginning to deteriorate. I don't remember any large scale unemployment during Clinton's term but do remember he left a budget surplus that was quickly looted by his Republican predecessors waging senseless wars that we are still fighting or paying for. There has not been a massive influx of foreigners except refugees from wars we've participated in. I would rather my tax money go to social welfare programs for those wanting a better life than to bloated military budgets and ill conceived international intrigue.