On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell and Central and Eastern Europeans were freed from the constraints of communism. Twenty years later, the world that President Obama inherited from Ronald Reagan’s legacy is profoundly changed. Those suffering under planned economies and the denial civil rights are now living in free market economies and democracies. On the twentieth anniversary of this historic day Obama was absent. Instead, he sent his Secretary of State to Berlin in his place. Dr. Nile Gardiner points out that the administration added further insult to injury when Secretary Clinton ended her speech with a tribute to President Obama’s commitment to diversity and breaking down barriers to discrimination. Displaying an air of indifference and narcissism in no way endears Central and Eastern Europe to the United States.
Perhaps Obama should pay more attention to America’s greatest European allies in their unfinished quest for equality and prosperity. In the wake of the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, The Pew Global Attitudes Project released their report, “Two Decades after the Wall’s Fall: End of Communism Cheered but Now with More Reservations.” The report reveals that those people of “former Iron Curtain countries generally look back approvingly at the collapse of communism” and the majorities of people in most former Soviet republics and Eastern European countries endorse the emergence of multiparty systems and a free market economy.” However, since 1991 when the original survey was conducted, “the initial widespread enthusiasm about these changes has dimmed in most of the countries surveyed.”
Sally McNamara of The Heritage Foundation analyzed the report saying that, on the whole, public opinion in Eastern and Central Europe reflects a “good news story” but “it is clear that satisfaction is not evenly spread.” Democratic aspirations are most prevalent among the younger generation and future leaders. This is why democracy promotion cannot be ignored. In order for younger generations and future leaders to lead their countries to prosperity, it is necessary for the United States to foster their democratic beliefs. According to McNamara, as Obama’s “approval ratings have taken a bit of a beating in central and Eastern Europe” now is not the time to take the region for granted nor should he assume that the victory achieved twenty years ago is a done deal.
Vice President Joe Biden began a trip to Eastern Europe including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania this week. The trip comes on the back of the disastrous announcement by the Obama administration abandoning third site missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic in favor of improving relations with Russia.
Biden is making a weak attempt to reassure Eastern Europe, especially Poland, of continued U.S. partnership as he is trying to force them into accepting the new reality.
Yet no matter how hard Biden tries to persuade, threaten and sweet talk, it is inescapable that Eastern Europe lacks the confidence in the Obama administration’s promises. Many in Eastern Europe feel that Obama and Biden have abandoned them for the sake of improved relations with Russia. After all, it was not too long ago that Eastern Europeans were forced into the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and the way their land was divided after the Second World War. These two events still shape Eastern Europe’s views on Russia and Russian ambition in Eastern Europe.
Adding to Biden’s weak promises is the deployment of SM-3 missiles in Poland. However, even this is being thought of as only a secondary deployment for sometime in the future yet to be defined.
In short, the purpose of Biden’s trip to Eastern Europe is to tell them that they have to accept the new reality, where Russian relations and interactions take precedent over Eastern European relations.
Despite this bleak massage from Biden, a bit like a loyal wife who stands by a continuously philandering husband, Eastern European leaders seem to consistently refrain from criticism of the Obama administration. Instead, they are constantly trying to get any, no matter how cursory, reassurances about the future of American-Eastern European relations.
In its limited experiences with freedom, Eastern Europe has not only been one of the closet groups of people to the United States but one of the staunchest defenders and promoters of freedom. Biden and Obama should not forget this when dealing with Russia and Eastern Europe.
Nicholas Connor currently is a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please visit: http://www.heritage.org/about/departments/ylp.cfm