Dear Editor,
The Munich Security Conference and yesterday’s TV mugging of President Zelensky could hardly make clearer where US government loyalties lie. And yet there are still over 60,000 US troops stationed in Europe. Whose side are they on?
What is the danger that they may potentially stand aside in the event of Russian aggression, leaving gaps in the NATO front line? Worse, might they be ordered to collude with Russia?
After a lifetime co-operating with the United States, it grieves me to say it, but the time may have come to invite US troops in Europe to leave. France did it in 1966: Spain did it it in 1989 over the Torrejon airbase. We may have reached the point where we could have more clarity and confidence in European security, if American forces were not part of the mix. At least we would know exactly what we need to fix. Perhaps we should start with the base at Thule in Greenland, where the ambition to take over the country has been expressed openly.
Rather than meekly reacting to the latest Trump/Vance statement, threatening to wind down the US commitment, perhaps we could get on the front foot and simply tell them to pack up and go.
Eric Gates,
Somerset
