Tories vow to pull troops out of Germany

Britain's Conservative Party has pledged to withdraw the UK's troops from Germany as part of the party's defense policies if they win the next general election.

"It was no longer necessary to have more than 20,000 military personnel in the country nearly 70 years after the end of the Second World War," the British shadow defense secretary was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying.

Liam Fox told the newspaper that the new NATO states from eastern and central Europe, particularly Poland, should take over in Germany and free British troops for deployment elsewhere.

"Finding a more creative diplomatic solution in NATO will be a priority for an incoming Conservative government," Fox said.

The move would be part of a "wholesale recasting of our foreign and defense policy," Fox pointed out.

But a final decision depends on whether the Ministry of Defense can handle the return of so many soldiers.

Although the British presence has been scaled down over the years, the First Armored Division is still based in Herford, near Hanover, and there is no accommodation for them in the UK.

The Conservatives are also considering fast-tracking younger commanders with combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan to senior posts.

There are currently 25,000 UK troops stationed in Germany.