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Wow, more globe trotting for us. What the heck are we doing? Isn't there another UN country that can do this crap? Germany and the Netherlands manned up. How about the friggin French, Spaniards, or someone else do something? How about Palestine? They wanted in so bad. Time to pay up.
US troops arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles | Fox News
Wow, more globe trotting for us. What the heck are we doing? Isn't there another UN country that can do this crap? Germany and the Netherlands manned up. How about the friggin French, Spaniards, or someone else do something? How about Palestine? They wanted in so bad. Time to pay up.
US troops arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles | Fox News
There are about 75,000 military personnel in Europe so naturally Barney goes to hyperbole. Manning defensive missile batteries is hardly the worst use of troops.
His comment wasn't in response to the patriot missle compound in turkey. It was in response to wasteful spending. And regardless of total numbers which is around 80,000 in Europe, bases are not cheap. Not to mention if those bases were on our soil then that money going into those bases would more often get spent in our economy rather than Germany's.
*edit ...
According to this site, there are 268 bases in Germany alone.
Wow, more globe trotting for us. What the heck are we doing? Isn't there another UN country that can do this crap? Germany and the Netherlands manned up. How about the friggin French, Spaniards, or someone else do something? How about Palestine? They wanted in so bad. Time to pay up.
US troops arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles | Fox News
His comment wasn't in response to the patriot missle compound in turkey. It was in response to wasteful spending. And regardless of total numbers which is around 80,000 in Europe, bases are not cheap. Not to mention if those bases were on our soil then that money going into those bases would more often get spent in our economy rather than Germany's.
*edit ...
According to this site, there are 268 bases in Germany alone.
*re-edit...
Also from that site:
One part of the massive Ramstein airbase near Landstuhl, Germany, has an estimated value of $3.3 billion.
A billion here, a billion there... pretty soon we're talking about real money.
Some things that you need to take into account.
1) The bases are on free land and get free or near free utilities. And considering anything American wastes energy and resources then that is a huge cost saver for the US military and a cost burden for the local government.
2) The German military bases.. many, if not most.. on the list are closing over the next 2 years.
3) Ramstien is a key US military base and it wont close. It is basically the reason you dont have more military casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. They get flown here first for treatment.
So the actual "cost" is no where near as high as many in America think.
His comment wasn't in response to the patriot missle compound in turkey. It was in response to wasteful spending. And regardless of total numbers which is around 80,000 in Europe, bases are not cheap. Not to mention if those bases were on our soil then that money going into those bases would more often get spent in our economy rather than Germany's.
*edit ...
According to this site, there are 268 bases in Germany alone.
*re-edit...
Also from that site:
One part of the massive Ramstein airbase near Landstuhl, Germany, has an estimated value of $3.3 billion.
A billion here, a billion there... pretty soon we're talking about real money.
Keeping in mind that I'm adamantly anti-war and pro-spending cuts, Ramstein is unbelievably important for us. I've been through there several times, and many of my friends have been MEDEVAC'd through there. It's really not that much for the strategic importance it provides us. It is our single biggest air base in europe.
Would say it is the also the single most important base outside the US and one of the top 5 in the world for the US military.
Yeah, I knew the UN was sending Patriot missiles over there. But it pisses me off with all of the countries in the UN, one of the 3 countries that mans them happens to be us.THis was approved a while back but I just saw on the news that they arrived. I fully believe Turkey is a strong ally we should work to strengthen ties with, because I think they are the key to leading moderation and therefore peace through the rest of the M.E... but your right. Really? more troops all over the place? I think it's just a show of force to scare Syria but these things can often lead to far more than just a show.
I saw Barney Frank today on Joe Scarborough and they were talking about cutting back spending and I like the way he put it when he said (paraphrazing) "I think we should stop wasting money protecting Europe from Stalin."
Excuse me. NATO. They start blending together with all of the crap we do to help them both.Err first off it has nothing what so ever to do with the UN.
That's not the point. The point is there are many other countries that have the weapon system. Also, Spain definitely has them. MIM-104 Patriot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSecondly who says that the French or Spaniards have a patriot battery to send?
I could care less what the Germans and the Dutch are doing. I'm tired of the US being the de facto defender of every country that gets itself into a little trouble. Where are the NATO troops for our Mexican border? I haven't heard of that being offered.You do realize that the US, Germany and the Dutch sent men in conjunction with the sending of patriot missile batteries... to defend Turkey, a NATO member.
Yes but the costs for shipping materials and personnel back and forth, paying soldiers COLA, andnot getting totally free utilities more than offset the savings from free land.1) The bases are on free land and get free or near free utilities. And considering anything American wastes energy and resources then that is a huge cost saver for the US military and a cost burden for the local government.
Good, at least there's some progress.2) The German military bases.. many, if not most.. on the list are closing over the next 2 years.
A) We shouldn't be in either anyway however B) I fully agree that this is the case so we shouldn't close Rammstein until we leave Afghanistan.3) Ramstien is a key US military base and it wont close. It is basically the reason you dont have more military casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. They get flown here first for treatment.
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