U.S. commanders rethink troop drawdown

BRUSSELS, April 24 (UPI) -- U.S. commanders in Europe say a plan to cut troop strength there almost in half should get another look.

"I am very apprehensive about how low we are taking capabilities of the U.S. Army in Europe," one senior official based in Europe told the Christian Science Monitor.

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld planned a troop reduction that would have replaced many of the large bases in Germany and Italy with smaller temporary bases in Eastern European countries. The goal was to cut long-term forces in Europe, a major part of the U.S. military since World War II, from 110,000 to 60,000 by 2012.

Now, U.S. commanders are worried about the emerging threat of Iran and of more-aggressive Russia under President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have drawn strength away from Europe.

Army Gen. Bantz Craddock, head of U.S. European Command and senior military commander of NATO, has commissioned a report on the effect of base restructuring and troop drawdown on European operations. Preliminary findings are due in May and the final report in the summer.