Upset With US Threats, German Legislators: Bring Your Nuclear Home!

The United States is asked to bring home its nuclear weapons from Germany if it withdraws troops from Bavarian soil.

Photo / Illustration / Special

The United States (US) must bring its nuclear weapons from Germany if it really wants to move its troops to Poland. This was revealed by a member of the German parliament responding to the US threat that would withdraw its troops from Bavarian soil.

According to the German MP, Berlin could use the US ultimatum as an opportunity to encourage withdrawal of all American assets from the country.

"The US ambassador is right: US taxpayers do not have to pay US troops in Germany," Dietmar Bartsch, a member of the German parliament from the opposition party, was quoted as saying by RT on Sunday (11/08/2019).

He also suggested that the potential for troop withdrawals must be total and comprehensive. "If the Americans withdraw their army, they must also withdraw their nuclear weapons," he stressed.

"And of course, this must be brought home and not to Poland because it will trigger a further escalation in our relations with Russia, which does not serve European and German interests," he said.

Other German lawmakers were also upset with Grenell's ultimatum. Thomas Hitschler, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), described the statement as "very problematic" and "indecent." He added that Grenell's criticism of Germany's financial contribution to NATO did not match reality.

Hitschler described how Pentagon officials praised Berlin's defense commitments during his recent visit to Washington.

While SPD's secretary general, Lars Klingbeil, went further, accusing Grenell of trying to bully Berlin.

"We will not be blackmailed by America," he told Augsburger Allgemeine.

US and German disputes began earlier this week when US Ambassador to Berlin Richard Grenell demanded the country increase its defense spending.

"It is very insulting to expect US taxpayers to continue to pay more than 50,000 Americans stationed in European countries," Grenell said.

The statement was followed by a statement from the US ambassador to Poland that recommended American troops to be moved to Poland, an ally that was said to be unlike Germany spending two percent of its GDP on NATO.

In addition, Germany is also involved in disputes with its longtime strategic allies because it is reluctant to involve itself in Washington's latest military adventure. Berlin has refused to join the US and British-led naval patrols in the Persian Gulf. The call for patrol in the Persian Gulf came after Iran captured a British-flagged tanker in retaliation for its oil carrier captured by Britain near Gibraltar.

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