Siren Call to Disaster: The Emerging Campaign for US Troop Reductions in Europe
Abstract
American defense policy proceeds from the assumption that we have a vital interest in preserving the independence of NATO Europe, a region second in strategic importance only to the United States itself. The paramount elements of strategy in Europe are to deter war, to maintain stability where NATO and Warsaw Pact forces confront one another, and to prevent a successful Soviet invasion by being prepared to fight if necessary. The purpose of stationing US troops in Europe in those difficult years after World War II was to give physical evidence of the stated strategy. Whether called "containment" or "forward defense," the message to friends and enemies was clear: The United States drew a line which could be crossed only at risk of war. While feelings of kinship or compassion played a role in policy formulation, it was in the US interest to insure that Europe would not be dominated by the Soviet Union. It continues to be in the US interest to assure the independence of NATO Europe. If policy is to be more than posturing, if strategy is to be more than empty rhetoric, forces in place must match pronounced intent.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA516883
Entities
People
- Henry G. Gole
Organizations
- United States Army War College