British Army 'No Longer Necessary' in Germany

[Witta]

British troops could be withdrawn from Germany for good if the Tories win the next general election.

Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox said it was 'no longer necessary' to maintain the presence of more than 20,000 military personnel.

Generations of squaddies and their families have passed through Germany, but the size of the troop commitment has been scaled down since the end of the Cold War and the lifting of the Soviet threat to Western Europe. The Army operation is now centred on Herford, near Hanover, where the 1st Armoured Division is based.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Fox signalled his determination for a 'wholesale recasting of our foreign and defence policy'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-Liam-Fox.html

[hodekin]

It will be interesting to see how our German members will view this news!

My own son is in the Army and is based at Herford, he has been in Germany for the past 5 years, and his son (my own grandson) was born there. He and his family love it there, especially the German lifestyle and their attitude to children and family life.

I know that the British military do not view their role in Germany as an occupation role, nor do they see a threat from the East anymore. But the truth is, many Brits have grown to love it there, many have left the Army, married local girls and settled down to a German lifestyle. There will be much sadness if they pull out, but perhaps the local people will welcome it, after all, it’s their country!

However, the financial infrastructure of the Garrison towns will be heavily affected if and when the Brits do pull out, and in the short term at least, the local German economy will suffer greatly.


hodekin

[Nordlander]

Its about time

[SaxonPagan]

I remember when I lived near to Stuttgart there was HUGE animosity between the locals and the Americans from the US Army base nearby. It got to the point where it was safer for me to avoid the town centre on a Friday/Saturday night because there were always fights!!! I was often mistaken for a German by the Americans due to having fair hair and as soon as I opened my mouth I was mistaken for an American by the Germans … talk about being caught in a crossfire!

I think the dislike was mutual and it wasn’t just a few lads wanting to have a weekend punch-up. My elderly landlady had a very low opinion of the American presence and my girlfriend’s Father used to say that if he had a plane he’d bomb the barracks and kill all the ******s - I learnt all my best vocabulary from him Anti-American graffiti was not uncommon on public buildings either!

Attitudes may have changed over the past 25 years and may be totally different towards the British but I had the impression back then that foreign troops were generally considered as an occupying force and most unwelcome. You might have been able to make a case for them holding back Communism but I don't think their presence has been justifiable since the Berlin Wall came down.

[Stimme]

Its about time

Absolutely. And it is also about time that the American troops follow Great Britain's example.

[hodekin]

Its about time

Quite right Nordlander! I agree, it is high time.

On the same note I would add that if British forces no longer serve any real purpose in Germany, then it’s also high time that all American Air Force and Navel bases in Britain were evacuated for the same reasons.

I remember when I lived near to Stuttgart there was HUGE animosity between the locals and the Americans from the US Army base nearby. It got to the point where it was safer for me to avoid the town centre on a Friday/Saturday night because there were always fights!!! I was often mistaken for a German by the Americans due to having fair hair and as soon as I opened my mouth I was mistaken for an American by the Germans … talk about being caught in a crossfire!

Having been out to Germany to visit my son a few times over recent years, I can tell you that the British Squadies do have regular fights with the locals….but these locals are Turks!

Any Germans reading this will more than understand!


hodekin

[RoyBatty]

I know that the British military do not view their role in Germany as an occupation role, nor do they see a threat from the East anymore.

Perhaps not the lower and medium ranks but the military high command and the UK's politicians won't have any illusions. It is an occupying force.

But the truth is, many Brits have grown to love it there, many have left the Army, married local girls and settled down to a German lifestyle. There will be much sadness if they pull out, but perhaps the local people will welcome it, after all, it’s their country!

It's understandable that individuals who have assimmilated and settled in would not want to leave and why should they. The locals will welcome an end to occupation but this shouldn't affect people who have integrated.

However, the financial infrastructure of the Garrison towns will be heavily affected if and when the Brits do pull out, and in the short term at least, the local German economy will suffer greatly.

Sudden changes are usually not a good thing so a gradual withdrawal may be the answer.

The interesting thing is what will happen next. The US / British occupation of Germany (and particularly the US's military stranglehold on other parts of Europe) served a number of purposes.

One was to keep the Germans (and others) down.
Another was to keep the Soviet Union out.

Those who have been paying attention will have realised that the political borders shifted since the collapse of the USSR. What has been happening since is that the military concentrations are being shifted along with those borders, in other words, instead of concentrating its war machine in Germany the US are moving further East.

The Cold War never ended in Washington. Instead of a normalisation of ties with Russia the US has instead embarked on a program of military buildups around Russia's borders and are moving troops and infrastructure out of countries like Germany for that purpose.

It remains to be seen whether it would actually end the occupation completely. I personally doubt it. Once the US have moved in they stay in.

[hodekin]

Perhaps not the lower and medium ranks but the military high command and the UK's politicians won't have any illusions. It is an occupying force.

Yes! It was the lower ranks I was reffering to.

One was to keep the Germans (and others) down.
Another was to keep the Soviet Union out.

Those who have been paying attention will have realised that the political borders shifted since the collapse of the USSR. What has been happening since is that the military concentrations are being shifted along with those borders, in other words, instead of concentrating its war machine in Germany the US are moving further East.

Yes you are right, not so long ago British armour trained on the plains of Canada, now it's more often than not in Eastern Poland, something which must send a clear signal to Russia!

hodekin

[SaxonPagan]

I always remember Tony Benn once saying that US troops are on UK soil to enforce compliance and would not hesitate fire on British civilians should the circumstances dictate this.

I believe he was right.

[Hauke Haien]

It will be interesting to see how our German members will view this news!

It does not make much of a difference. Britain has no real power anyway and the presence of their troops does not project it, it is just a relic of the past. The situation is different with the Americans, but there is already another thread for that.

But the truth is, many Brits have grown to love it there, many have left the Army, married local girls and settled down to a German lifestyle.

It also has been common for the German wives of Allied soldiers to follow their husbands and raise their children as non-Germans. This represents an attack on our demographic base.

It is also reminiscent of the immediate post-war era when our people were nearly starved to death by the victors and the occupation army abused this fact. The Americans have even developed that into a pattern by passing themselves off as the heroic saviours from problems created by their interference in Germany, the Muslims just being the latest example.

In any case, the fact that intermarriage takes place between the armour-bearers of hostile forces and women who are supposed to be the creators of future generations of Germans will never cease to have a disgusting aspect to it.