What reason is there to keep them? Russia isn't going to attack any European nation especially ones which are part of the EU or allied with the US. Also the European nations are stronger now and under the EU even more capable to defend against any smaller nation.

Keeping bases in Europe stretches our troops and adds a presence that not everyone wants. Just because the leaders of the nations want a US military base doesn't mean the citizens want it. As much as some would like to believe the US isn't appoint from some Higher power to defend the world.

Also the US would consider it an insult and security issue if another nation were to even suggest placing one of their military bases in America, so why should America have a higher status among other nations such that it can create bases without true resistance?

Alleviating the pressure US military bases create and further concentrating our troops closer to home, or in areas where real trouble exists is more beneficial to everyone involved.

I believe the US should become like Switzerland. No other country has military bases in the United States. We wouldn't permit that! Yet we believe we can have military bases in other countries.

This WWII and Cold War mentality have drained our treasury, cost the lives of our service men and women and created a contempt for the US that has replaced admiration for our freedom and opportunity.

We don't need to be the world policeman.

Close all the bases overseas, tell other countries that we won't interfere in their internal disputes and if any other country messes with us, we will retaliate.

The risk? I believe we will reduce our risk of attack because, like Switzerland, we won't be as provocative.

We save money, we regain respect, we can be proud of America.

There is no need for military bases in Europe. At this point in time, any conflict between European nation-states is highly unlikely due to the formation of the EU, which ties the economies of Europe together. If there is a terror attack in Europe, they can deal with it -- they aren't as weak as they were before, plus they know how to deal with terror attacks better: ignoring them socially, while furiously working behind the scenes to catch the terrorists.

I can't think of any real reason why we still have our troops over there. The countries in Europe have there own military to use in case of an attack. Their is no real imminent threat of attack or anything that would justify having troops over their. It costs us a lot of money to keep troops in foreign nations. We also are spreading our forces out way too much and don't have nearly enough to defend our own country.

I am still in the dark as to why we have them there, honestly. The Soviet Union is gone, Russia is barely able to control its own territory, and the European Union has plenty of military capability of its own.

Even if there is still a threat from Russia, "Islamic Fundamentalists", Aliens, The United States, or other aggressive entities I am fairly certain they can be combated just as effectively with far fewer American military bases.

The combined European GDP is about the same as the U.S.'s, perhaps more; it has the money to raise the same military force as the United States (if not the political will).

We don't need to be paying for European defense anymore; the threat isn't as great nor is it shared by both Europe and the United states to the same effect.

Islamic terrorism is hardly a military problem; most of it is espionage and police work. Russia's GDP is far smaller than the EU's; its military is out of date; a sagging, hulking, brittle shell. The Europeans are more than a match for them should trouble arise; though without the U.S. with them their political clout is diminished (somewhat).

Though, who knows, perhaps without the fatherly protection of the US the Europeans may grow a back-bone and seek to solve their own problems for a change. Though, let's hope they don't do it in the traditional European way (dragging each other and the world into massive wars).