July 14, 2003	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1424

MUNICH, July 13: German concerns of a major US military withdrawal from Germany in retaliation against Berlin’s opposition to the Iraq war were heightened by a weekend interview with the head of American forces in Europe.

US Marine Corps General James L. Jones, who is also the new US Nato commander in Europe, confirmed that the United States is considering major changes in the size and structure of its military in Europe, including converting large, rigidly staffed bases to smaller, more flexible forces.

All US bases in Germany currently are under review with exception of giant Ramstein Air Base which, because of its strategic importance, Jones said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

“We would like to operate Ramstein for as long as we’re welcome in Germany,” he was quoted as saying. “I don’t want to talk about the others.”

While saying it was premature to speculate about base closings, Jones said “a whole array of concrete proposals” have been put to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfield for consideration.

His remarks came in the wake of a German press report earlier this year claiming that the United States will close a number of its giant military bases in central and southern Germany, leaving only Ramstein and Frankfurt air bases and one tank brigade largely intact.

The economies of a number of towns in southern Germany are dependent on the presence of American military personnel and their dependents.

The report in Die Welt newspaper quoted “well informed” sources as saying the cuts will affect some 40,000 US Army infantry forces currently stationed in far southern Germany. The US presence at those bases, including Heidelberg, will be trimmed to just 10,000, the report said.

The report cited three reasons for the troop withdrawals from Germany. Firstly, the American armed forces are undergoing major restructuring in all sectors. Secondly, the United States is keen on increasing its military presence in Eastern Europe.—dpa