Some of our best friends in a rough neighborhood are worried about all the nuanced talk coming out of Washington, D.C. these days:
A group of prominent former Eastern European leaders wrote to President Barack Obama on Thursday that their region is gripped by anxiety that his efforts to reach out to Russia could lead him to forget their interests.
The 22 former leaders warned U.S. credibility would be damaged if Washington abandons plans for a missile shield, saying they still feel bullied by their giant neighbor and former master. They claimed Russia continues to challenge their sovereignty 20 years after the Cold War's end.
Do you want to know how bad they think the current situation is? Well:
"Had a 'realist' view prevailed in the early 1990s, we would not be in NATO today and the idea of a Europe whole, free, and at peace would be a distant dream," the letter said.
That glorious era includes the period of NATO expansion east that occurred in the Clinton administration.
That's what we're reduced to, people: nostalgia over the integrity and forcefulness of President Bill Clinton.
UPDATE: The Polish leaders endorse the letter:
Poland's prime minister and president say they back an appeal by former Eastern European leaders to President Barack Obama urging him not to overlook them as he pursues better ties with Russia.
The Poles have a long an unfortunate history at the hands of the Russians--and their other neighbors. The idea that their independence could be snuffed out in a new agreement among the big powers surely keeps them up at night.
