U.S. to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany

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The United States will remove nearly 12,000 American troops from Germany and will also move the headquarters of U.S. European Command from Stuttgart to Belgium, a move aimed at repositioning its forces to increase the deterrence of Russia by rotating troops to other NATO countries in Europe.

ABC news reports that some 6,400 troops will head back to the U.S. while 5,400 will be relocated to other stations in Europe that already house American troops.

"The alliance will be all the better and stronger," ABC quotes Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

He announced that 11,900 U.S. military personnel will leave Germany, reducing the number of American troops from 36,000 to 24,000.

"Nearly 5,600 service members will be repositioned within NATO countries and approximately 6,400 will return to the United States, though many of these or similar units will begin conducting rotational deployments," said Esper.

The Defense Secretary also noted that an F-16 unit would be repositioned to Italy, where Aviano Air Base is already home to other F-16 units.