Germany's unspoken role in Iraq

The US is the last allied country with soldiers on German soil. The Russians are no more and the French and British have also gone. The US maintains, however, enormous bases throughout the country, including several with nuclear weapons.

Why is this? A German woman I met recently said that Germans in general do not think of the Americans as occupiers, like Iraqis might do. She said most Germans remain only vaguely aware of the American military presence in their country. They are in the background and sometimes in the news but for the most part are not thought of or spoken about.

NATO obligation was her answer as the reason why they are still here. Clearly, the American military in Germany does more than fulfill NATO obligations. Germany is a major transfer point for all troops, equipment and supplies to Iraq, for instance. All badly injured are also flown to American military hospitals here. Germany is playing a large role in the Iraq War, although it is largely unspoken.