The U.S. military, which is cutting its presence in Europe, plans to expand its training of European partners to cope with new threats posed by interlinked criminal and militant networks smuggling weapons and drugs, said the U.S. commander in Europe.
The United States is withdrawing two Army combat brigades from Germany, reducing the size of its force by around 7,000 soldiers. The cuts, announced by the Pentagon last month, are part of a new U.S. strategy aiming to create a leaner military costing it $487 billion less over the next decade.
"Even with the loss of two brigades I will have close to 35,000 soldiers here. That is a big force size and bigger than most European armies," Lieutenant General Mark Hertling told Reuters in an interview.
"It is the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one, because the threats these forces were positioned for in the past are not the types of threats we have today," he said on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reassured European allies Saturday that Washington remains committed to their security despite the austerity drive.
