German regional premiers appeal to U.S. Congress not to withdraw troops
CGTN

The premiers of four German states have appealed to members of the U.S. Congress to block plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany, according to letters seen by Reuters on Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said last month he would cut the number of U.S. troops in Germany by 9,500 to 25,000, faulting the fellow NATO member for failing to meet the North Atlantic alliance's defense spending target and accusing it of taking advantage of America on trade.

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney. /Reuters

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney. /Reuters

The prime ministers of the four German southern states, all home to U.S. bases, addressed the letters to 13 members of Congress including senators Mitt Romney and Jim Inhofe.

The premiers of Bavaria, Hesse, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate wrote that the U.S. troop presence in Germany is important for geopolitical security and for the bilateral trans-Atlantic partnership. All four states are major U.S. troop bases since the aftermath of World War II.

A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Berlin declined to comment. Last month, Washington said the move would "enhance Russian deterrence, strengthen NATO, reassure Allies."

The U.S. currently has about 34,500 troops in Germany. /Reuters

The U.S. currently has about 34,500 troops in Germany. /Reuters

In June, Trump said that he was ordering a major reduction in U.S. troop strength in Germany, a move widely criticized by members of his own party as a gift to Russia and a threat to U.S. national security.

The U.S. currently has about 34,500 troops in Germany – far fewer than during the Cold War, when Germany was the central focus of American and NATO efforts to deter invasion by the former Soviet Union. In recent decades, Germany has hosted key American military facilities and provided a transit point for troops deploying to and from the Middle East, including during years of conflict in Iraq.

Trump faulted Germany for failing to pay enough for its own defense, calling the long-time NATO ally "delinquent."

"Until they pay, we're removing our soldiers, a number of our soldiers," Trump said. Though his plan sounded not very fully defined, he stated "when U.S. get down to 25,000, we'll see where we're going." 

(With input from agencies)