Will Germany keep foreign troops in their country?

Question

Germans don't mind the occupation by foreign troops I guess.

Answer 1

It's not really an occupation, more like symbiosis. The immediate surrounding areas of bases get a small economic boost by having a base there and the US have a base of operations in central Europe; in return, though, the German government spends pretty large amounts of money on the bases (they actually do a lot of the upkeep of the bases themselves, having the bases around causes impressive costs for road repair etc. -- all stuff you can look up in the German national budget, if you're interested). It's give-and-take, really. If the bases were removed entirely, the regions would suffer a brief economic shock, the state would probably allocate the money saved in upkeep to their rehabilitation, and business would go on as usual after a bit (the regions with bases muddled along just fine for a few centuries ;) ). In short, unless there's some enormous diplomatic crisis, we (and the government) really don't mind either way.

Answer 2

Difficult question, especially about the nuclear weapons, that are stationed in this country among the troops.

First, remember that those troops are not all across the country, but mainly concentrated on the southern-southwestern areas, so most people don't recognize it.

Beside that, they are an economical factor for the villages around them indeed, as all army camps, so the people living near them propably have some positive feelings about it.

Also, the fact, that the US try not to take too much advantage from this position might be helpful not to make it a problem.

And as a partner of the NATO, one somehow has to take some responsibilities, and as it seems to be the US-American interest as leading nation to have some guys in this country... well, could be worse. If it can be avoided on the other side to be involved in the major fightings in Afghanistan, it seems to be a good deal.

Sometimes this topic is questioned, of course in first place about that nulear mass murder stuff, but it's rather a side phenomenom. Other things seem more important.

One gets used to it, as well as to the Soviet troops in the eastern half until 1990. So, yes, I'd say, one does not mind it that much. They are there, do their job, and that's it.

Greets from a "non-occupied" part of Germany ;-)

Answer 3

yes always helps the local economy's german's want foreign troops (US) but its the foreign nations that want to move or downsize so its not really the germans say if they keep them or not.

Answer 4

From what I can tell no they have not had a problem, most the Bases are in the South and the town near them profit from them and to my knowledge the US has always been good neighbors to them and they are a part of NATO.

Unless things DON'T change with our attitudes there I doubt they will have much of a problem with it.