The United States is reportedly considering a significant reduction in its military presence in Europe after its allies there refused to allow Washington to use their airbases for the war on Iran.
uncertain
Washington → consider → Iran
US media reported this week that senior Pentagon commanders are expected to submit plans to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming days.
asserted
commanders → report → days
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4NATO jet shoots down suspected Russian drone over Lithuania
- list 2 of 4Trump says Canada becoming EU ‘associate member’ could be ‘hostile act’
- list 3 of 4Italy to deploy warships to protect shipping through Bab al-Mandeb
- list 4 of 4Why does Canada want to join the Europe-led JEF military partnership?
uncertain
Canada → shoot → partnership
The news comes amid Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and as European countries increasingly sound the alarm about possible sabotage operations on their territory; Germany accused Russia of a drone attack on an airport earlier this month.
asserted
Germany → come → airport
Europe has, for decades, depended on its partnership with Washington via the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to deter a possible Russian attack.
asserted
Europe → depend → attack
However, relations between some European capitals and Washington have deteriorated in the past year.
asserted
relations → deteriorate → year
Here’s what we know about what options the US could be considering:
uncertain
US → ’ → options
Why is the US reviewing its presence in Europe?
asserted
US → review → Europe
The Pentagon is weighing several possible options for reducing troops and military assets in Europe as part of a NATO review it announced in June, according to NBC News, which cited security sources.
uncertain
which → weigh → sources
Hegseth alluded to the review at a NATO meeting in Brussels in June, when he lashed out at fellow members and said new changes would be “designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leasing and stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defence of Europe”.
asserted
NATO → allude → Europe
Hegseth said European allies’ decision not to provide US forces with access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran was “shameful”.
asserted
decision → say → Iran
“These allies, they put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all.”
asserted
that → put → question
What options is Hegseth considering?
asserted
Hegseth → consider → options
One option could be to withdraw one-third of the estimated 68,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
uncertain
option → withdraw → Europe
This option would largely affect soldiers stationed in Germany, Italy and Spain, NBC reported.
asserted
NBC → affect → Germany
A second, more drastic scenario could see 40,000 soldiers exit, along with military aircraft, ships, and weapons.
uncertain
soldiers → see → aircraft
The US may also consider moving troops away from stations in Central or Western Europe to NATO’s eastern flank, closer to Russia.
uncertain
US → consider → Russia
Hegseth is expected to reach a final decision by November 6, NBC reported.
asserted
NBC → expect → November
Has the US already withdrawn troops from Europe?
asserted
US → withdraw → Europe
About half of the 2,000 US soldiers stationed in Romania departed last year.
asserted
half → station → Romania
Some 5,000 US troops are in the process of withdrawing from Germany, where more than half of the European contingent is based.
asserted
half → withdraw → contingent
The announcement of their withdrawal in May came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the US’s war on Iran.
uncertain
Merz → come → Iran
Trump threatened to go “a lot further”, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly blocked the White House from withdrawing as many as 25,000 soldiers at the time, according to US media.
uncertain
Rubio → threaten → media
What would a US military drawdown mean for Europe?
asserted
drawdown → mean → Europe
A mass exit of troops and assets would be significant for Europe as it would undermine the US’s nuclear deterrence posture on the continent, said Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund.
asserted
Lesser → undermine → Fund
While Russia is not likely to attack NATO members, Moscow would certainly see advantages in such a development, the analyst said.
asserted
analyst → attack → development
“But it really depends on where and when the troops are removed,” Lesser added, pointing out that it would be hard to estimate the effect on Europe for now.
asserted
it → depend → Europe
If troops are moved from Western Europe to the eastern flank, for example, that might not be concerning since countries like Germany and France are rapidly boosting their military capabilities, he said.
uncertain
he → move → capabilities
But the US, too, would lose out by withdrawing troops, as its ability to project power across Europe would be reduced, experts say.
asserted
experts → lose → Europe
Senior members of Trump’s Republican Party have voiced concern about that.
asserted
members → voice → that
The move could send “the wrong signal to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin,” Senators Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers said in a joint statement after the troops from Germany started departing.
uncertain
troops → send → Germany
Why are relations souring between the US and Europe?
asserted
relations → sour → US
Since his first term, Trump has repeatedly accused European NATO members of forcing the US to carry most of the financial burden of the alliance.
asserted
Trump → accuse → alliance
Last January, Trump said NATO countries should start spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, rather than rely on US support, but many NATO members are still struggling to meet the current 2 percent target.
asserted
members → say → target
NATO members have already agreed to boost spending on defence to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.
asserted
members → agree → 2035
Adding to Trump’s annoyance, however, has been the refusal of European countries to join the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran by allowing the US to use European bases.
asserted
US → add → bases
Some members, such as Spain and Italy, have actively spoken out against Washington’s war.
asserted
members → speak → war
The EU exports a large amount of its goods to the US, but Trump slapped a 15 percent tariff on European imports as part of his trade war last year.
asserted
Trump → export → war
Also in the last year, the EU and Washington faced off after Trump said the US wanted to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark positioned strategically in the Arctic and with untapped reserves of oil and other resources.
asserted
US → face → oil
Trump threatened European countries with additional trade tariffs if they stood in his way.
asserted
they → threaten → way
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
