Realpolitik is Back in Eastern Europe. When Does the Wall Go Up?
Hey, Poland? Czech Republic? Remeember how we said you were our allies and we’d stand behind you?
Just fooling. You’re not an oppressive tyrant, so no happy diplomacy for you!
PRAGUE/WARSAW (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama has told east European states he is backing away from plans for an anti-missile shield there, in a move that may ease Russian-U.S. ties but fuel fears of resurgent Kremlin influence.
Russia said it would welcome abandonment of the plans, which have been a major source of Russian-U.S. tensions.
The President said he wants to put into place a system that is smaller and more “agile” because, in his estimation, the Iranians aren’t building big missiles. Of course, that assumes that Eastern Europe cares two hoots and a holler about Iran, which it really doesn’t. Iran is a convenient dodge for the President, who is really throwing our allies under the bus as a big ol’ butt-kiss to Vladimir Putin. The Poles and Czechs aren’t terribly worried about Iran’s missiles, nor should they be. Russia, on the other hand, has already demonstrated that it will invade a neighboring former possession with inpugnity, confident that the rest of the world will do jack-all to stop it.
The President’s move is a unilateral suckup job to Putin, who has given up exactly nothing for it. It’s a fine Molotov-Ribbentrop Day gift to the Russian Bear who has duped yet another Democratic President into believing its intentions are peaceful and honorable.
Not every Democrat has bought the Russian act, though. Joe Liberman, who may be the only sensible leftist on national defense, excoriated the President for his unforced error. The rest of our European alies aren’t very happy either. It’s not as if we weren’t warned, though.
The President’s message today is pretty clear. If you are a small country who wants better ties to the US (like Honduras, Columbia, Poland, or the Czech Republic) you’d better hope there’s no petty tyrant standing in your way, because we’re going to pick the despot every time.
Just like we did during the heyday of realpolitik in the Middle East. Ask the folks in Mahnattan or the Pentagon how that turned out for us.
UPDATE: Moe Lane is having a really hard time finding the worst part of the story. I’m afraid I’m not much help. I’m wondering how long it’s going to take us to rebuild the trust we’ve thrown down the crapper.
Other Posts of Interest:
Category: Alliances and Allies
