U.S. Forces Leaving Iceland, Army Closing Luxembourg Site

US State Department, WASHINGTON: The United States has notified Iceland of plans to remove U.S. forces from the North Atlantic island nation by the end of September, and the Defense Department announced its departure from a storage site in Luxembourg. 
 
Both moves are part of a regional and global repositioning of U.S. forces. Several thousand U.S. troops also are departing Germany in 2006, but small operating bases and outposts are being opened in Romania, Bulgaria and elsewhere to reflect changes in global threats. 
 
The decision to withdraw permanently based U.S. troops from Iceland was recommended by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and approved by President Bush, White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters during the March 17 press briefing. 
 
The Iceland announcement will mean the departure of approximately 2,800 Americans currently assigned to or accompanying personnel at Naval Air Station Keflavik. About 600 Icelandic workers also are affected by the U.S. departure. 
 
However, officials stressed that the United States will continue to honor its 1951 defense agreement with Iceland, which has no armed forces of its own. Iceland is also a NATO member and is protected by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which says an attack on any NATO nation is considered an attack on all 26 member nations. U.S. officials plan to meet soon with Icelandic officials to discuss the future of the U.S.-Icelandic military relationship.