4 The German Times – Politics October 2019

BY JOHANNES LEITHÄUSER during the Cold War. At that time, up to 300,000 men were stationed hen US President on West German soil. Still, the IMAGO/ZUMA PRESS IMAGO/ZUMA Donald Trump and current presence of US troops in WGerman Chancellor Germany is by far the highest in Angela Merkel met in Biarritz, Europe. France, in August, it marked the This has less to do with a direct first time the two had ever held threat scenario than with the fact a meeting at which the domi- that the military infrastructure set nant theme was not their dispute up during the Cold War is still in over the level of German military place and is therefore available and spending. affordable to US forces. It includes Trump has visited Paris, London not only military training areas and and Warsaw twice since coming several large Air Force bases (such to office, but has not yet made the as in Ramstein and Spangdahlem), trip to Berlin. This, in turn, high- but also staff compounds for sev- lights the extent to which Ger- eral European headquarters. The many has persistently drawn the Americans have also set up their ire of the president in a number of Africa Command headquarters different ways. in Germany. And, finally, the US First, Germany is home to suc- military hospital in Landstuhl per- cessful carmakers. The impressive forms a function that extends well numbers they post in terms of beyond Germany; it is the place exports to the United States have where seriously injured military always been a thorn in Trump’s personnel were taken during both side. They symbolize Germany’s US campaigns in Iraq and the war foreign trade surplus in contrast to Flyover state: An F-16 Fighting Falcon over Sprangdahlem Air Base in southwest Germany in Afghanistan. America’s deficit. In light of these facts, German Second, in alliance with London politicians tend to remain unruf- and Paris, Berlin is seeking to fled by threats of withdrawal. In create a counterbalance to Trump’s actual fact, it would be impossible harsh policy of sanctions targeting The 2% truthers to remove large-scale US military Iran. Germany is also working hard facilities in Germany and relocate to keep the nuclear agreement Donald Trump wants Germany to beef up its military spending. them to another country without with Tehran alive – the deal the US incurring high costs. Poland has pulled out of one year ago. But the real numbers underlying the dispute don’t add up announced that it intends to spend Third, Trump resents the up to $2 billion in an attempt to German government for not rais- foster US readiness to station sol- ing its defense spending to the Grenell even hinted that the US Continuous economic growth 2-percent mark would be reached especially true with regard to the diers on its territory over the long equivalent of 2 percent of GDP by could redeploy its troops stationed is one of the reasons why the more easily. expenses associated with station- term. 2024 as stipulated for all NATO in Germany to the neighboring German defense-spending quota If Germany achieved the 2-per- ing troop units belonging to NATO At a visit in June, Trump told countries. country of Poland, which has long has grown only moderately since cent NATO pledge in 2020, the allies on German soil; these costs Polish President Andrzej Duda Shortly before Trump and sought to host a greater US mili- 2014, even in the face of sharply government would have to spend are paid for by Germany and ben- just how many soldiers could be Merkel met in Biarritz, the US tary presence and which actually rising budgets for defense and pro- well over $80 billion on defense. efit, in particular, US forces. involved in such a move: 2,000. ambassador in Berlin, Richard meets its NATO pledge to spend curement. In 2014, the share of In that case, Germany’s military According to a statement by Ger- The Polish people would then be Grenell, used the strongest of 2 percent of GDP on defense. Of GDP was just under 1.2 percent, budget would be one-quarter or many’s Ministry of Finance, a total invited to express their gratitude by terms to express America’s overall course, Poland’s smaller GDP and the budget was around $46 even one-third higher than the of approximately $800 million has naming the barracks Fort Trump. displeasure with its German ally in means that the amount it spends billion, that is, roughly $8 billion budgets of the UK and France, been spent over the past seven The White House later corrected a complaint that united the issues on defense is much lower; cal- lower than it is today. two European countries that years alone on utilities and building the number given by the president, of trade surplus and military defi- culated in US dollars, the Polish Chancellor Merkel (CDU) man- can afford to maintain an expen- planning services associated with insisting that discussions so far cit. The ambassador argued that military budget is just under $12 aged to get the okay from her SPD sive nuclear deterrent program property owned by NATO allies. involved the transfer of only 1,000 he actually found it offensive to billion, while Germany’s defense partners in the governing coalition alongside their own conventional Again, the lion's share of these ser- soldiers. expect US taxpayers to continue budget for the current year to increase the defense budget to forces. vices benefited American troops. to have to pay for the more than is almost four times higher at 1.5 percent of GDP by 2024. That It should also be noted that At present, roughly 35,000 US 50,000 Americans stationed in roughly $54 billion. would mean a sum of more than there are a number of defense- soldiers are stationed in Germany Johannes Leithäuser is a Germany, while the Germans get At the moment, however, Ger- $60 billion, depending on the related costs that are simply not along with 12,000 civilian employ- politics editor and writer at the to spend their trade surpluses on many is still only achieving a growth of the German economy. included in the calculation of Ger- ees. That is but a fraction of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. domestic projects. budget quota of 1.36 percent. Ironically, if a recession set in, the many’s military spending. This is troops stationed in the country

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