German Chancellor: Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Germany Not Unexpected, Unrelated to Iran War

German Chancellor Merz stated that the rift between Berlin and Washington over the Iran war has "no connection whatsoever" to the partial withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany. He also confirmed that the previously planned U.S. deployment of long-range "Tomahawk" cruise missiles to Germany has been shelved. However, Merz emphasized that Germany and the United States share a common objective regarding Iran.

On Sunday, Chancellor Merz reiterated his stance on German-American bilateral relations. This follows public disagreements between Merz and U.S. President Trump over the issue of an Iran war. In an interview with ARD (Deutsche Welle), Merz downplayed tensions between the two nations.

"The announcement by Trump to withdraw 5,000 U.S. troops from bases in Germany was neither surprising nor should it be seen as retaliation," Merz said, adding that this move is "completely unrelated" to recent disputes. "I will not give up efforts to develop transatlantic relations," Merz stated, "nor will I abandon cooperation with Donald Trump."

Previously, Trump had directly criticized Merz, accusing him of claiming Tehran had "humiliated" Washington at the negotiating table. Trump accused Merz of believing it acceptable for Iran to possess nuclear weapons, and remarked that Germany "performs poorly economically and in other aspects."

Following these comments, Trump announced plans to pull back some U.S. military forces from Germany. On the same day, he also declared increased tariffs on EU cars and trucks—measures that would hit the German economy the hardest.

German Chancellor: Withdrawal Not a New Issue

Merz is the latest European leader to face criticism from Trump over differences concerning the Iran conflict. Previously, the U.S. president had clashed with leaders from Spain and the United Kingdom on the same issue.

Yet Merz insisted he still supports Trump’s goal of ensuring Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, arguing that this demonstrates Germany remains aligned with U.S. interests on this matter.

"Our differing views on this war are no secret," Merz said in an interview with ARD: "I am certainly not alone in holding this view." He added, "But this does not change the fact that I firmly believe the United States remains our crucial partner—and the most important partner within our North Atlantic Alliance."

Merz explained that the U.S. military units scheduled for withdrawal were temporarily stationed in Germany during the Biden administration, and discussions about their redeployment have been ongoing for some time. "Talking about this now might seem somewhat exaggerated," Merz said, "but it's certainly not new."

"The U.S. Doesn't Even Have Enough Stockpiles Itself"

In the interview, Merz also confirmed that the U.S. plan to deploy long-range "Tomahawk" cruise missiles to Germany will be canceled. "Objectively speaking, at present, I believe it's almost impossible for the U.S. to deliver such weapon systems," Merz said. "They don’t even have sufficient reserves for themselves."

Former U.S. President Biden had promised to deliver Tomahawk missiles to Germany. With a range capable of reaching Russia, the aim was to bolster Germany’s deterrence capability until Europe develops similar missiles independently.

Merz further noted that the U.S. has shown "no retreat at all" on the issue of nuclear sharing with its European allies. "The U.S. commitment to nuclear deterrence on NATO territory is without any limitations," he said unequivocally.

Merz also stated that the wars in Iran and Ukraine have affected U.S. arms supply, but hinted that this situation is only temporary and could change in the future.

Source: DW

Original: toutiao.com/article/1864278615055626/

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