Shadow Government

A front-row seat to the Republicans' debate over foreign policy, including their critique of the Biden administration.

Did Obama tell our NATO allies about his Russia letter?

By Steve Biegun An addendum to the recent stories on President Obama’s letter to Russian Prime Minister Medvedev. Much has been made about the nature of the reported Obama proposal to swap NATO missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic for a Russian-assisted end to the Iranian nuclear weapons and long-range missile programs. The Russian reaction ...

By Steve Biegun

By Steve Biegun

An addendum to the recent stories on President Obama’s letter to Russian Prime Minister Medvedev. Much has been made about the nature of the reported Obama proposal to swap NATO missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic for a Russian-assisted end to the Iranian nuclear weapons and long-range missile programs. The Russian reaction to the letter is that there will be no swaps; President Obama explains that the letter only contained what he has always said publicly. 

Interestingly, there is still a dog that has not barked, so to speak: What do the governments of Poland and the Czech Republic, or for that matter the NATO alliance (which committed itself at the 2008 Bucharest Summit to the deployment of missile defense in Eastern Europe), think about the proposal in Obama letter? 

Surely, as close friends and allies, the Poles and the Czechs and others in NATO were all fully consulted in advance on a letter that has such consequence for their interests. Where is their endorsement? Vice President Biden gave voice to the sentiments of most Americans, regardless of party affiliation, when he said at the Munich Security Conference less than a month ago: "We believe that international alliances and organizations do not diminish America’s power — they help us advance our collective security, economic interests and values. So we will engage. We will listen. We will consult."

Great words. How are they working in practice?

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