Posted on 07/17/2009 4:32:58 AM PDT by nuconvert
WASHINGTON -- A group of pro-American intellectuals and former policy makers from former Soviet bloc countries have written an open letter to the Obama administration urging it to significantly strengthen its diplomatic and security ties with the region.
The signatories warn that the post-Cold War alliances with the United States that helped usher in democracy and bring the region into trans-Atlantic security agreements are in danger of slipping away.
The letter was published in the Polish daily "Gazeta Wyborcza" on July 16 and signed by 22 prominent thinkers and ex-foreign ministers, prime ministers, and presidents from Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Romania.
The signatories include former presidents Lech Walesa and Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland, Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, Emil Constantinescu of Romania, and Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia. They describe themselves as U.S. allies who remain deeply indebted to America for helping bring down the Iron Curtain.
Chief among their concerns is that the Central and Eastern European region has ceased to be a priority on the U.S. foreign policy agenda due to what they consider the misguided notion that the region is largely stable, pro-American, and on a secure path to full trans-Atlantic integration.
To the contrary, the signers say, the region's traditionally close relationship with the United States faces a raft of threats -- from citizens skeptical of NATO membership and increasingly critical of the United States, to Russia's return to what it calls a "revisionist power pursing a 19th-century agenda with 21st-century tactics."
(Excerpt) Read more at rferl.org ...
Just speechless.
Ignoring these allies at his(and our) peril.
This is how Obama restores our respect and standing in the community of nations.
They don’t matter. When Russia begins to provide us all hugs and kisses the root problem will be solved.
but...but...the whole world is supposed to adore us now with O and his smart diplomacy.
O is heading us into a major war one of these days.
Wait until they find out that 0bama will have the U.N. reach out to them with him leading global governance.
How long before Putin tries again to invade another country? How long before all hell breaks loose everywhere because the strength of our nation has been compromised.
Sorry, but our new president really doesn’t seem too concerned for people who are seeking democracy.
Put a dictator in charge and watch Zero come running.
This makes me sick. So many honorable names at the end of this letter, too.
I read the letter. The ‘Bama is showing the world that being a democracy that is friendly to the U.S. earns nothing but scorn from his administration. Liberals seem to want respect only from nations that want to abuse us. Our foreign policy is in desperate need of therapy...
“Our foreign policy is in desperate need of therapy...”
More like our entire government is in need of a group exorcism.
Remember once we freeze all nuclear weapons, we will have world peace and everyone will get along. How could these former East bloc countries be so blind....
I’ve traveled to many of the Eastern Euro countries and they prize freedom far more than the Western Euros, and for that matter, Americans.
“Sorry, but our new president really doesn’t seem too concerned for people who are seeking democracy.”
Very true, our new “president” values freedom and self-determination far less than what the left views as “economic justice” (read: socialism). He doesn’t give two sh*ts about freedom. He proved that in his response to crises in Iran and Honduras.
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