Most of our large bases are on US soil. We have some moderately sized bases outside, the bases in Germany are small. The Cold War is over and the large units are either gone or in the US. Forward bases in Germany or elsewhere make it eaiser to deploy when needed. We need a naval presence in the Pacific......all this secures trade routes and ensures that our economy and the Western money machine continues to churn...the oil is in the Middle East, so we're here. Do any of u honestly trust anybody else around the world. That would be ridiculously naive.