nytimes.com:
The decision by the Obama administration to reshape its missile shield deployment in Central and Eastern Europe has been seen by some in the region as a sign of a box-ticking mentality in Washington: Is the Central and Eastern bloc democratic and free? Check. On to Russia and Iran.
Ahmadinejad's normal swagger has been muted, perhaps with the realization that his days of manipulating Russia against the West have ended.
NATO Defense Ministers Endorse Wider Afghan Effort
Is Russia Using Serbia To Strengthen Hand On European Security?
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U.S. is an empire in everything but a name. And I don't mean that as some throw away pejorative/slogan. It is a fact.
A country that maintains hundreds of military bases all over the globe is an empire.
In the same sense that Roman republic was an empire.
Now. American politicians and public MUST admit it.
Only then coherent questions can be asked. Based on reality ( not the spreading/
This article can be translated rather simply-- it urges the maintenance of the imperial coherency.
It emphasizes the importance of support for U.S. dependents/ minor allies/pro
At least the United States isn't a 'rogue state'. There's that.
comments from truthers are not welcome.
One minute, the US sd. mind its business and stay out of the internal affairs of other countries,
Another minute, the US is ignoring the needs of (___________) (insert country/region of the world the US sd. or sd. not get involved with.
The US is a savior for some or the devil to others. It is all the fault of the "imperialist US" and the US is to blame for all the ills facing (insert region of the world/cause here) and on we go.
I am sure President Obama and the US will get the needs of E. Europe after attending the needs of the Afghani's, Pakistanis, Iraqis, Saudis, Isarealis, Palestinians, Sudanese, the Mexicans, the Bolivians, the Chilaens, the Cubans, the Ethopians.
and pershaps the people and their needs in the United States will be addressed in the process...
The US is accussed of being the worlds policeman, which may or may not be the case, but it seems as if the US has become the neigborhood parent tending to the need of parentless countries, parents who are off getting drunk while thier children are home in dirty clothes with nothing to eat.
Would be nice to see the US cut foriegn aid and get this nation back into the shape it needs to be to meet the needs of this countries people and then the rest of the world.....
Astrologically, the US is a cancer country, which means "do as we say, not as we do".
Part II
A secondary problem is we (Moldova) have often been ripped off in various ways by EU and American corporations. Those who promise investment and fail to deliver, or developers who take deposits on construction, get local sub-contractors busy, then bail. Those that do deliver and overcharge because they have a monopoly in the market, or expect to run a 21st century western style operation in areas with a lot of residual Soviet-style bureaucracy and often a crumbling infrastructure.
This has bred a lot of distrust and is one reason most people here see the future in the east. The approach western companies often take seems designed to milk the areas for what it can give the west, without it giving in return. Russia and Russian corporations may not be perfect, but they are reliable, normally consistent, and seem more equitable.
Also, EU protectionism effectively closes our agro and viniculture industries, our only real industry, to the west. This forces us to stay a lot closer aligned with Russia than the west, and many here, want. But we have to have a market for our products and remain wholly dependent on Russia for oil and gas.
"EU protectionism effectively closes our agro and viniculture industries,"
Khem, may the atrocious quality of Moldavian wines has something to do with inability to sell it.
especially when a bottle of decent French, Italian, Spanish or even German wine is about the same price.
And last I looked no one is European is willing to eat mamalyga. :-0
Being a beer drinker I am not in a position to judge wine. I do know Moldova wine consistently ranks well in international competitions. As for price, can you buy wine for 2$ a liter? In 2008 Moldova wines won more than 30 international medals, including second place at the Internation Wine Challenge. Plus Pucarii is the wine served by the Queen of England, who can probably afford anything she wants.
Now, Mamaligia is a different matter. It's really not bad once you get past the consistency and taste. Any time I can't find shredded cardboard for breakfast, I reach for a bowl of it.
Part 1
Interesting, but the commentary tries to tackle too many areas in a limited article. And it somewhat implies all of East and Central Europe falls in a one size fits all strategy.
I'm an American ex-pat in Moldova. To put us in the same category as Czech Republic, Hungary or Poland is erroneous. Although we share much in common with Ukraine, Russia, and certainly Romania, our needs and goals are different. Leaving Russia out of the discussion simply because of its size and power, the one common error in American policy in the region is treating us as the bastard step-children of the Soviet Union, while expecting us to act like Western Europe. We are not like Western Europe, and won't be for a long time; even if we want to be at all.
Though Romania, and now Ukraine, embrace NATO and the EU, Moldova has not, and isn't all that interested. If we were, it would be extremely difficult as we only recently moved from a communist government, which may regain power, and there seems to be no end to the Transnistria issue. This leaves us an island soon surrounded by the EU.
A big problem has been trying to become western too fast both politically and socially. The assistance from AID, the World Bank, and the Peace Corps have often caused more harm than good.
Obama should absolutely and studiously ignore Eastern Europe. The benefits for Europeans will be enormous. The area is at peace. Most states have largely overcome the post-WW2 legacy. There is no reason to encourage various revisionists attempting to destabilize the area.
Wait. isn't that the region Rummy called "Old Europe?"
They chose to ignore them, didn't they?
No, he was referring to Western Europe as 'Old Europe'.
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First Posted: 10-23-09 09:57 AM | Updated: 10-23-09 12:30 PM