In Eastern Europe, they don’t think of Barack Obama as the first black president. They think of him as the first black-hearted president.
Obama announced that he is scrapping plans for a U.S. missile defense shield designed to protect the Czech Republic and Poland, leaving the two democracies to twist in the Russian wind.
Czech Premier Jan Fischer announced that Obama has informed him that “his government is pulling out of plans to build a missile defense radar on Czech territory.”
“The same happened with Poland. Poland was informed in the same way about this intention,” Fischer announced.
What’s the response in Europe? Here’s how Nile Gardiner of the Telegraph UK sums it up:
This is bad news for all who care about the US commitment to the transatlantic alliance and the defence of Europe as well as the United States. It represents the appalling appeasement of Russian aggression and a willingness to sacrifice American allies on the altar of political expediency. A deal with the Russians to cancel missile defence installations sends a clear message that even Washington can be intimidated by the Russian bear.
What signal does this send to Ukraine, Georgia and a host of other former Soviet satellites who look to America and NATO for protection from their powerful neighbour? The impending cancellation of Third Site is a shameful abandonment of America’s friends in eastern and central Europe, and a slap in the face for those who actually believed a key agreement with Washington was worth the paper it was written on.
Ronald Reagan is a hero in Eastern Europe. The people who lived under the tyranny of the Soviet Union know that he was responsible for bringing down the Evil Empire and giving them their freedom. They erect statues dedicated to his memory. Don’t expect to see Barack Obama statues any time soon.
These are dark days for small democracies that look to the United States for protection.
Source: Telegraph UK
