President Bush has made a brilliant move in calling troops home from our bases in Europe. The redeployment is a move that is as much strategic as it is political. This one move could bring the war on terror to a much quicker end. With recruitment holding strong and the war winding down in Iraq, Iran and North Korea should be shaking in their boots. We all are wondering where Bush will move our currently based European troops.  Will the troops be moved to the Middle East to support our efforts in Iraq, or could they be moved to support our newer member nations of NATO?  Those troops could also be used to strengthen our borders and provide homeland security. What our enemies don’t understand is that if Bush brings home all of the currently deployed troops we could do all of the above and it would cost no more money than we are currently spending.

As reported today (August 19, 2004) Iran is threatening a pre-emptive attack against troops in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.  Iranian Generals reportedly are drawing up plans for the attack if the U.S. continues to press Iran to remove their nuclear plants. This threat comes soon after Bush’s announcement to remove troops from Western Europe.  Nearly as quick was Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry to say that he would not pull troops out of South Korea because North Korea has nukes. To me pulling troops out of South Korea makes sense. If North Korea has a nuclear bomb, why would we want to put our troops in the path of a nuclear bomb? Wouldn’t it make more sense putting troops into the Middle East before Iran gets a nuclear bomb and fight a non-nuclear war? After all we have the missiles with nukes on them to hit North Korea and we will use them should it be needed. Besides South Korea has been building their forces for the last fifty years and by now should have a very respectable fighting force.

We should always remember that we are living in dangerous times and we need a leader, who is strong enough to make those decisions, that leader is our President George W. Bush.

Sincerely,

Jim Gibb

Ps. I would also like to see the Big Red 1 returned to their home base at Fort Riley, Kansas.