The former commander of US forces in Europe: “Russia is at war with all of us. Why would we reduce the US presence in Romania now?”
General (r) Ben Hodges during the time he was in command of the American forces in Europe
The former commander of the American armed forces in Europe, General (r) Ben Hodges, criticized, in an interview granted to TVR Info, the Pentagon's decision to reduce the American military presence in Romania and three other states in Eastern Europe. “It's really bad timing. It doesn't make any strategic sense to me,” Hodges said.
In an interview given to the journalist Adelin Petrișor, he admitted that the departure of approximately 1,200 American soldiers from Mihail Kogălniceanu does not represent a disaster from a military point of view, but it takes place “at a very bad moment”.
“Russia is waging a war in Europe, currently in the Black Sea across from Romania, and conducting gray zone operations (no hybrid war) against some NATO countries, including Romania. Why would we reduce the American presence in Eastern Europe at a time like this? It makes no strategic sense to me. I think this is, in part, the result of the (Trump no) administration not wanting to admit that Russia is an aggressor, an enemy, and that it is at war with all of us, though we wish it hadn't been,” said Ben Hodges.
Hodges said Romania has been “a core ally for many years” and must continue to strengthen its defenses. “It's on the right track. It's not just about buying new equipment. It's also about society, which has to be prepared to deal with disinformation, but also to be prepared with water, batteries, candles, rations, if necessary.”
The US announced on Wednesday that it will reduce its troop presence in Romania, after a battalion from the rotational brigade assigned to NATO's southeastern flank will no longer be sent to the Mihail Kogălniceanu base. More precisely, from a level of about 1,800-2,000 soldiers at present, the USA will remain present with about 1,000 soldiers in Romania.
Recently, an association of former American veterans, Veterans on Duty, also criticized the Pentagon's move and praised the Republican politicians who lead the defense committees in the two houses of the American legislature, for asking the Pentagon to explain the measure.
Moreover, according to the Kyiv Post, American congressmen intend to present, in the coming days, a bill that would block the withdrawal of American troops from Europe.
