Germany Forges Ahead With Army Cutbacks

Germany's armed forces, the Bundeswehr, will be shutting 21 small and medium-sized logistics bases and reducing a further 12 next year, Defense Minister Peter Struck announced Thursday. Some 6,000 jobs will be lost, with the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony hit hardest. By 2010, the government intends to close a total of 50 logistics bases across the country as part of its plan to overhaul and cut back defense spending by around 10 percent. Troop strength will be cut from 280,000 to 250,000 and civilian support from 120,000 to 75,000 in an attempt to adapt to new conditions and save money amid recent budget constraints.