VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The United States is scheduled to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany in what has been described as a 'strategic' repositioning of troops in Europe. Around 6,400 troops will be withdrawn, and the rest will be transferred to other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries such as Italy and Belgium.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday (29/7) that the move was a response to Germany's failure to meet NATO targets related to spending on defense. Trump has long asked that European NATO members provide more defense budget for themselves. According to Trump NATO members should no longer depend so much on the US to bear the costs of maintaining an alliance. The target agreed by all NATO members on defense spending must reach 2% of GDP by 2024. Germany, along with many other countries, has not met this target.

However, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a different tone when announcing the decision. He said the move was part of a broader plan to reposition US troops in the region. That step is a major strategic and positive change that will no doubt reach core principles. Namely to increase the defense power of the United States and NATO against Russia. This step will reduce the US military presence in Germany by more than 25%. A squadron of fighter jets will be moved to Italy while some troops can be moved to Poland.

The decision to withdraw US troops from Germany in large numbers turned out to have been criticized not only in Germany but also from within the US. The Chair of the German Foreign Affairs Committee said the US decision would weaken the NATO alliance. Meanwhile, there is also bipartisan criticism in Washington. Democratic Senator Jack Reed said the withdrawal of troops was detrimental to the interests of the United States itself. Republican Senator Mitt Romney described the decision as "a big mistake, and a slap in the face of a friend and ally.