Thread by @jseldin

House Armed Service Committee taking a look at the US defense posture in #Europe

"#Russia is becoming more aggressive, not less" per HASC Chair @RepAdamSmith "Our need to have a deterrence there is enormously important"

Some background: voanews.com/usa/us-pulling…

"I also am concerned about the effect it [US force posture in #Europe] has on our partnerships" per @RepAdamSmith

"We definitely need friends & allies more than ever..." he says, referring to @NATO

"If we do things to undermine the alliance in what appears to be a gratuitous way, without working w/them, without listening to them, it undermines the strength of that alliance and plays right into #Russia's hands" per @RepAdamSmith

"Some of these moves seem to make sense on their face, for example, moving @US_EUCOM to be close to #NATO headquarters, having a greater presence in the #Balkans" per HASC ranking member @MacTXPress "But there needs to be an overall strategic plan that is coordinated w/allies"

"This concept to reposition our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic shift" per @DeptofDefense Acting UnderSec for Policy James Anderson, but says it is "fully in-line w/the NDS [National Defense Strategy]"

"Large formations of permanent forces can present vulnerabilities & are not best suited to respond to emergent threats" per @thejointstaff Dir for Strategy, Plans & Policy LtGen David Allvin

"Episodic introduction of forces across the region presents dilemmas to potential adversaries while providing the secretary & the president w/the flexibility & capacity to rapidly respond to emergent threats across the globe" adds LtGen Allvin

As this hearing takes place, #France Defense Minister @florence_parly is tweeting about @NATO

https://twitter.com/florence_parly/status/1311339849392291840?s=20

"The basic advantage of rotational forces is that they provide additional flexibility" @DeptofDefense's Anderson tells @RepAdamSmith when pressed on move away from permanent forces

"That is the main advantage"

"Flexibility to do what?" asks @RepAdamSmith "What are the downsides?"

"I don't see any downsides" per @DeptofDefense's Anderson "There is a cost involved in transitioning..." adding still value in some cases to have permanent forces, like with key airbases

"Prior to the public rollout, we did speak w/our @NATO allies" Anderson says of July announcement about pulling almost 12,000 troops from #Germany

"I've met w/several either ambassadors or defense ministers & my sense is that this caught them all by surprise" per @MacTXPress