Quote (Kuggergug @ Feb 27 2019 10:39pm)
this is bullshit. If their power projection as so great, thered be no need for the us to have all those bases, men and equipment in europe. I believe actions not words.
More than half of the reason why all those bases, men and equipment are in Europe is because America wants to keep it's military power projection intact. The US remains the only country with global power projection. China and Russia are limited to their regions of influence.
Eastern European nations see the US military presence as more necessary, especially the countries that are not in EU. Of course there are other factors that weigh in, like the US wanting to keep a close eye on certain strategic assets (Bosporus, oil/gas pipelines from Middle East, Russian power projection). There are nukes stationed on military bases in my country that are the property of the US. There have been many protests to have them removed in the past. They are not there because we want them to be here (France and the UK have plenty nukes to supply Europe in nuclear military power), but because the US wants them in range of Russia.
I do think that within the coming decades at least some US military bases will be withdrawn from European soil. If Bush was followed by another Republican president some military bases could have already been demanded to be withdrawn. I hope I don't have to remind you of the immense distrust of the US that came with the invasion of Iraq and the spying of the NSA. Especially in Germany people are very distrustful of US intelligence and politics.