President Bush on Monday unveiled a massive redeployment of American forces around the world.

Important elements of the plan are on target. The United States does not need to maintain the force structure and posture developed during the Cold War. A more nimble fighting force better able to quickly respond to hot spots around the world is better suited to fighting insurgencies and non-state threats. Shifting units to new bases in Eastern Europe and the Middle East puts them closer to areas of likely deployment.

But the biggest part of Bush’s plan – at least as it was presented Monday – moves about 70,000 troops back to the United States, mostly from Germany, South Korea and Japan, beginning in 2006.

While Germany is not as strategically central to the defense of Europe as it was when the United States provided a protective umbrella against an invasion by the Soviet Union, it is still significantly closer to possible theaters of combat than much of this country. U.S. troops there are closer to the fight than they would be in North Carolina, California or Texas. Plus, Germany helps cover the costs of U.S. operations there.

Removing forces from South Korea is even more problematic. North Korea poses a significant threat to U.S. allies in Asia and is openly pursuing a nuclear arsenal. The country may already have a limited number of nuclear weapons. By removing American soldiers from the Korean peninsula, the North wins a major concession without giving up anything in return.

Pulling troops out of Japan could fundamentally change the region’s balance of power. As China grows, it will become more able to dominate its neighbors, militarily and economically. It seems likely Japan would seek to expand its military and protect its influence.

Major policy announcements made during the heat of the campaign season are always suspect. Even though work on the changes began under the Clinton administration, the policy directive comes at a bad time.

While the country needs its allies to help in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to counter the threat of international terrorism, Bush’s announcement appears to be a retreat from the world just when what we need is more cooperation.

The military is stretched thin by the poor planning for postwar operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States needs more troops who are able to deploy faster. Shifting soldiers back to the United States from Europe and Asia doesn’t necessarily address those needs.