Depending on your point of view, President Trump’s sudden decision to withdraw a US Army brigade from Europe is either Trump having a temper tantrum yet again or part of an overall plan to reduce US deployment to allied nations who should be able to pay for their own defence. On the social media site formerly known as Twitter, InfantryDort discusses the formation being relocated back to the continental United States:
1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade – “The Black Jack Brigade”
There’s a lot of drama around Black Jack brigade being ordered back to the U.S. from Europe.
I was in that unit on that same mission from 2019-2020.
We deployed, did training there, went to a CTC. I’ll be honest, it was the most fun I’ve probably had in the Army.
But after the initial training and the CTC rotation, we didn’t do much.
Played a lot of softball. BBQs. PT. Some drinking. Mostly just working on keeping people out of trouble.
It was kind of like being back at Fort Hood, but in Germany.
I suppose one could argue that the simple act of us being there made all the difference. I don’t know. That was above my level.
But I couldn’t help but think then, as I do now, that there are better ways to keep one’s adversaries at bay.
To say nothing of the fact that I do believe we have been a crutch to Europe for too long. Everyone seems to forget that Europe as a whole, dwarfs the GDP of Russia. A country who is barely richer than Italy.
You accomplish nothing providing security for people who refuse to do it themselves.
What are we supposed to do? Defend them forever? Permanently?
What has it gotten us? Europe, by all accounts, has taken advantage of our security blanket and prioritized making a socialist hellscape.
A socialist hellscape that has become their chief export. So the very act of remaining there in force is enabling the destruction of the western world.
Our relationship with those people DEMANDS revisiting in my view. Because whatever good will we generated after the end of the Second World War has dried up.
The free flow of money from us to them has also dried up.
It’s very telling how others treat you when you stop doing things for them. This isn’t mutual respect. It’s been little more than bribery.
And I’m all for keeping our Armored brigades right here, building readiness.
And not running them into the ground for little gain.
There is an age old adage that says you must help yourself before you can help others. Prudence demands that for our country right now.
America first. America always.
I don’t want my son dying for people who won’t do what is necessary to defend themselves. He has 7 more years, so unfortunately plenty of time for a clusterfook.
Comment by James — May 18, 2026 @ 20:20