I must admit to a small feeling of pleasure in Obama's actions.
Germans, Poles, South Koreans and lots of others have been demonstrating for decades against the US military presence in their countries, claiming they want us out.
Yet when we pull back for any reason, leaving them somewhat responsible for their own defense, something they're perfectly capable of paying for themselves, they squawk about that.
Reminds me of the teenager who wants to be independent.
“Germans, Poles, South Koreans and lots of others have been demonstrating for decades against the US military presence in their countries, claiming they want us out.
Yet when we pull back for any reason, leaving them somewhat responsible for their own defense, something they’re perfectly capable of paying for themselves, they squawk about that.”
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Anyone with service time can probably remember: The locals didn’t like service guys because the service guys were chasing the local girls, but if there was a rumor that the base was going to close, you couldn’t buy yourself a drink because a townie was buying it for you.
While you are right about people in traditional "western" Europe, Poland, and Polish popular opinion has not been a part of that. They've only been free of the Russian Communists now just 20 years....now we're prepared to let them slide under Russia's (now fascist) influence again. Very short sighted of Obama.
“Germans, Poles, South Koreans and lots of others have been demonstrating for decades against the US military presence in their countries, claiming they want us out.”
I will admit to some curiosity about how many ‘decades’ the US has had a military presence in Poland. Did we share bases with the Soviet forces there, or use the lot across the street?