Donald Trump orders 9,500 US troops to leave Germany

Lyv · Jun 7, 2020

Donald Trump has ordered the US military to remove nearly 9,500 troops from Germany in a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the US commitment to the region.

The move would reduce US troop numbers in Germany to 25,000, compared with the 34,500 currently there, a senior US official said.

'Regrettable': Germany reacts to Trump plan to withdraw US troops

The official said the move was the result of months of work by America’s top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who thwarted Trump’s plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

Which means it's because Angela Merkel didn't do what Trump wanted. As I've said, every single thing Trump does is motivated by ego, greed, or vengeance. The GOP owns this. They own every terrible, dangerous thing he's done.

MaeZe · Jun 7, 2020

And/or Trump is more desperate than ever and needs a headline, needs to look tough.

More like he wants to fantasize how tough he is.

Brightdreamer · Jun 7, 2020

You have to ask yourself who benefits from the removal of that many troops from Europe...

And/or where else he thinks he'll want to deploy those troops in the near future...

MaeZe · Jun 7, 2020

Brightdreamer said:
You have to ask yourself who benefits from the removal of that many troops from Europe...

And/or where else he thinks he'll want to deploy those troops in the near future...

Ha! You think Trump thinks that through when he's acting like an impulsive toddler.

Let me guess: He thinks he can play it up to his base.
He knows he can get attention.
He thinks it's getting even with Merkel.
Maybe (likely to be a later revelation, not initially planned) he thinks he can shift those military funds saved to his wall.

Edited to add: "by September" means it's still iffy.
As for who gains, it is possible Putin gains and then Trump gains. Maybe Trump is lining up some money in case he loses the election. He was living on Russian loans via Deutsche Bank in the past. That watering trough might be dried up at the moment.

Money laundering and golf vacation business could be slow because of COVID 19 and he won't have the government business money coming in if he loses.

frimble3 · Jun 8, 2020

MaeZe said:
And/or Trump is more desperate than ever and needs a headline, needs to look tough.

More like he wants to fantasize how tough he is.

Angela Merkel has been a thorn in Trump's side for a while now, and a couple of G's back.
And Trump's toughness? He's not as tough as Angela Merkel, for one.

But I'm sure Putin is cackling with glee.

Brightdreamer · Jun 8, 2020

MaeZe said:
Ha! You think Trump thinks that through when he's acting like an impulsive toddler.

He is impulsive and petty, yes - but he is also easier to lead around than a cartoon dog following a steak. We know he has recently talked to Putin. We know Miller and other Wormtongues whisper sweet evil flattering nothings in his ear all day.

Whether or not he himself is capable of a long-term Agenda, he is surrounded by others who can and have used him for their own ends.

Not sure we can safely dismiss this as simple, if incalculably harmful, tantrum throwing...

Alessandra Kelley · Jun 8, 2020

That is an interesting number.

Just last week, it’s been revealed, the occupier of the White House stamped his little foot and demanded 10,000 active duty troops be deployed to DC to “quell” protesters.

Several senior members of the defense department, recognizing that that was an unbelievably terrible idea, talked him down out of it, but suppose that all that penetrated his brain was that they didn’t have the troops to spare?

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/sh...Trump-orders-9-500-US-troops-to-leave-Germany

MaeZe · Jun 8, 2020

Brightdreamer said:
He is impulsive and petty, yes - but he is also easier to lead around than a cartoon dog following a steak. We know he has recently talked to Putin. We know Miller and other Wormtongues whisper sweet evil flattering nothings in his ear all day.

Whether or not he himself is capable of a long-term Agenda, he is surrounded by others who can and have used him for their own ends.

Not sure we can safely dismiss this as simple, if incalculably harmful, tantrum throwing...

Good point!

- - - Updated - - -

Alessandra Kelley said:
That is an interesting number.

Just last week, it’s been revealed, the occupier of the White House stamped his little foot and demanded 10,000 active duty troops be deployed to DC to “quell” protesters.

Several senior members of the defense department, recognizing that that was an unbelievably terrible idea, talked him down out of it, but suppose that all that penetrated his brain was that they didn’t have the troops to spare?

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/sh...Trump-orders-9-500-US-troops-to-leave-Germany

Another good point!

cbenoi1 · Jun 8, 2020

Lyv said:
[The GOP owns this. They own every terrible, dangerous thing he's done.

You lot ELECTED Trump and the GOP.

-cb

MaeZe · Jun 8, 2020

cbenoi1 said:
You lot ELECTED Trump and the GOP.

-cb

Hey, be careful who you call 'you lot'. :tongue

You know very few (if any) people in this thread voted for Trump or any GOP legislator. We feel like our country has been hijacked. And I'm not sure what else I can do about it.

shakeysix · Jun 8, 2020

Damn straight! Go back through the threads from 4 and 5 years ago. What we said then, we are saying now. I resent being lumped with the GOP now and I resented it then.

mccardey · Jun 9, 2020

cbenoi1 said:
You lot ELECTED Trump and the GOP.

-cb

Not this lot.

ETA: And just don't. It's too easy.

Layla Nahar · Jun 9, 2020

Actually, as an American and an American voter, I feel responsible for Trump being in office even though I voted for his opposition. As an voter and living in America, how can I not? I am part of this society, part of the electorate. How can I wash my hands of his being in office? I'm part of the society that led my fellow citizens vote for a President Trump. I don't actually know what to do with that, but I think that I can't absolve myself of this result. I hope people can see what I mean.

Lyv · Jun 9, 2020

cbenoi1 said:
You lot ELECTED Trump and the GOP.

-cb

How is that helpful? Seriously, what were you hoping to provoke with that comment? At best, it's tone deaf. At worst, it's cruel.

By the way, I worked my ass off to elect Hillary Clinton. I kept my body, which tortures me in staggering, and never-before-seen ways (seriously, doctors around the world get my test results) alive to not only get her elected, but also to oppose the GOP's craven, traitorous agenda. I am 5'5", 76 pounds, in agony, and no one knows how I am alive, let alone continuing to do daily activism on social and political issues. And I've been politically and socially active since before I was old enough to vote. I once spent a month in the hospital, including having major surgery during which I crashed on the table, and only missed two days of activism from my hospital bed. Honestly, the one thing I want more than anything is not to be in this body anymore, but I stick around to help my husband through the pandemic and fight for my democracy and for people more vulnerable than me. So save your accusation that I am part of the problem. Plenty of us tried to stop this, and have been doing so long before 2016.

darkprincealain · Jun 9, 2020

I take no personal responsibility for 45, whatsoever. He appeared in a field of 16 candidates and he was the one the GOP chose. I was busy voting the in the Democratic primary and eventually for his opposition. I don’t see the point of lumping me in with a society that led my fellow citizens to vote for him.

Everything he stands for is against what I believe. He doesn’t have the sense god gave a goose. He’s impulsive, he’s ignorant, and he has the emotional range of a toddler on a bad hair day. I don’t see what I contributed to society to convince them to vote for him.

I have a responsibility to vote for Biden in November, but beyond then, I don’t know what more I can do. Besides not take 45’s tiff with Angela Merkel too personally.

MaeZe · Jun 9, 2020

While I may not have worked as hard as Lyv, I would like to add I have worked to elect Democratic candidates every election for decades. And if I weren't at such a high risk for coronavirus, I'd be out there marching in the streets for police reform.

Donald Trump orders 9,500 US troops to leave Germany

Lyv

I meant to do that.

MaeZe

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

MaeZe

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

MaeZe

cbenoi1

MaeZe

shakeysix

blue eyed floozy

mccardey

Layla Nahar

Seashell Seller

Lyv

I meant to do that.

darkprincealain

MaeZe