GERMANY: PLANS OF US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM GERMANY, WILL HAVE PMPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL TOWN ECONOMIES

Record ID: 648683

  • Title: GERMANY: PLANS OF US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM GERMANY, WILL HAVE PMPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL TOWN ECONOMIES
  • Date: 16th August 2004
  • Summary: (W6) SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY (AUGUST 16, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF TAXI RANK 0.05 2. PAN FROM ONE TAXI TO ANOTHER 0.30 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNNAMED TAXI DRIVER TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS IN BUSINESS THEY HAVE SUFFERED WHILE THE U.S. TROOPS WHICH ARE NORMALLY BASED IN GERMANY HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ: "You can already tell that theres nothing happening with American clients, the business is going downhill. Nowadays I drive perhaps one American a week." 0.21 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNNAMED TAXI DRIVER TALKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MORE U.S. TROOPS WERE PULLED OUT OF SCHWEINFURT, SAYING: "It would mean the loss of regular clients, they use taxis alot, so it would mean a further loss of business." 0.31 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNNAMED TAXI DRIVER TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS IN BUSINESS THEY HAVE SUFFERED WHILE THE U.S. TROOPS WHICH ARE NORMALLY BASED IN GERMANY HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ, AND WHAT A FURTHER WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS WOULD MEAN: "We have felt a loss from the ones who have been redeployed. If more are withdrawn within the next four years, then well really feel it." 0.42 6. SLV SOLDIERS WALK PAST AND PULL-OUT TO LEDWARD BARRACKS 0.55 7. SLV SOLDIER AT SANDBAGGED CHECKPOINT IN FRONT OF BARRACKS 1.03 8. CLOSE OF US FLAG / PULLOUT TO WIDE OF BARRACKS 1.12 (W7) KITZINGEN , GERMANY (AUGUST 16, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. PAN OF INTERIOR OF BAKERY WITH CUSTOMER BEING SERVED 1.18 10. PAN OF WOMAN PAYING FOR GOOD 1.25 11. VARIOUS OF AMERICAN BOY BEING SERVED 1.30 12. CLOSE OF BREAD ROLLS ARE PUT INTO A BAG 1.35 13. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BAKER GEORG WILL SAYING: "Some businesses will find their very existance in danger. All the security personnel are also here, employed by the American civilians, and many of them will become unemployed. And we don't need that at all, we have enough unemployed right now." 1.50 14. WIDE OF PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT / OLD HOUSES IN KITZINGEN 1.15 15. WIDE OF SHOP AND FOUNTAIN 1.56 16. PAN OF MAYOR OF KITZINGEN FRANZ BOEHM WORKING AT HIS DESK 2.02 17. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAYOR OF KITZINGEN FRANZ BOEHM SAYING: "I was shocked by the way it happened, every three months we get this, and perhaps hadn't seen it as being so serious, but for Kitzingen it will be a big story, a very negative one. I still can't believe it, so we shall have to get involved in this, listen to the speech from the U.S. President (George W. Bush) and tomorrow get intensively involved in the problem." 2.37 18. WIDE OF PEOPLE SITTING OUTSIDE A CAFE 2.41 19. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) RESTAURANT OWNER EITEL WEIDNER SAYING: "I'm not worried about my existance as such, but I will certainly suffer great losses. It keeps happening and you have to come to terms with it. But is really is very serious, you can't... 3.00 20. SLV WEIDNER SERVING CHIPS AND GESCHNETZELTES (MEAT CUT INTO STRIPS, A GERMAN DISH POPULAR WITH TOURISTS) 3.10 21. WIDE EXTERIOR OF HARVEY BARRACKS 3.20 22. SLV ARMY TRUCK DRIVING PAST 3.45 23. VARIOUS OF CARS PULLING IN AT BARRACKS ENTRANCE 3.52 24. WIDE OF SOLDIERS AT ENTRANCE TO BARRACKS 3.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 31st August 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SCHWEINFURT & KITZINGEN , GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVAEEOI4Q4XXB8JEA1W59V1SGM4B
  • Story Text: Towns near US Army bases in Germany are preparing
    for the economic losses which would be caused by a possible
    pull out of U.S. Troops.




    U.S. officials said on Monday (August 16) that a
    major realignment of the U.S military presence to better
    fight the war on terrorism will mean the withdrawal of
    about 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia, two regions where
    the United States has maintained a major
    presence since the end of the Second World War in 1945.

    In the Cold War era, the European forces, especially in
    Germany, were meant to be a counterweight to the threat
    posed by the Soviet Union's Warsaw Pact forces. There are
    more than 100,000 U.S. troops in Europe, with 70,000 based
    in Germany, many in the south of the country along the
    Rhine or in Bavaria, although some 20,000 soldiers normally
    based in Gemany are currently on active service elsewhere,
    notably in Iraq.

    A number of army bases are on a possible strike list,
    such as the 1st Infantry Divison in Schweinfurt and
    Wrzburg, and it is not just the base which is under
    threat, the entire local
    trade and infrastructure in most towns near a base is
    dependent on the U.S. presence. Taxi drivers in Schweinfurt
    say they are already suffering from a loss in business
    since U.S. soldiers
    were deployed to Iraq from bases in Germany. They, along
    with restaurant owners, fear for their existence if they
    lose their regular client basis. Baker Georg Will said some
    businesses will
    find their very existance in danger. "Many people will
    become unemployed. And we don't need that at all, we have
    enough unemployed right now."
    Germany has already seen some impact in the early 1990s
    when the U.S. Army cut its force in Europe to fewer than
    150,000 from 210,000. However, that was in part compensated
    by an economic upturn, something the German economy is not
    experiencing at present.



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