Rotating NATO troops are best choice in Eastern Europe: US Army chief of staff
PR dla Zagranicy
Alicja Baczyńska
13.06.2016 15:55
Rotating troops on NATO's eastern flank are a better choice than permanent bases, US Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley has said.
Some 31,000 troops are taking part Anaconda 16 military drills. Photo: PAP/Marcin Bielecki
In an interview for Polish news agency PAP, Milley listed several factors in favour of a rotational deployment of US troops on NATO’s eastern flank.
He said one of the key reasons is an opportunity to test US capacity for transferring troops without incurring the costs of permanent infrastructure.
Another reason is a lack of infrastructure needed to house American soldiers and their families in Europe, Milley said.
Some 12,500 US soldiers are taking part in ongoing international military exercises held in Poland under the NATO banner. Altogether over 31,000 soldiers from Alliance members and partner countries are participating in the drills, named Anaconda 16.
The largest such manoeuvres since the Cold War come several weeks ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw. The gathering is expected to pave the way for the deployment of some 4,000 rotational troops on NATO’s eastern flank.
The move comes amid heightened tensions with Russia following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. (aba/pk)
Source: PAP