Ground Pounding

Just because the Cold War is over doesn't mean the United States shouldn't have ground forces permanently deployed in Europe, according to an issue paper published this week by the Association of the United States Army.

The document "discusses the benefits of U.S. forces based outside the continental United States, and notes how the transformed [U.S. Army Europe] uniquely extends American national security interests by building relationships," an AUSA statement reads.

USAREUR "is a critical component of the Army's global force," the issue paper states, adding:

The retention of an effective land force in Europe directly affects the United States' ability to execute national strategic imperatives and appropriately share the burden of collective security. U.S. forward-deployed forces are not vestiges of the Cold War. They are available, relevant and experienced forces that provide combat power, crisis response capability and -- just as critical -- allied-nation training and partnerships. As the United States broadens its focus to prevail against future hybrid threats, the Army's ability to provide depth and versatility to the joint force and respond quickly to a contingency with trained and ready allies will only become more critical. U.S. Army Europe is one of the premier instruments for rapid, multinational power projection. Maintaining this force at an effective level is not a cost; it is an investment in the enduring security of the United States and the world.