On Obama’s Last Trip To Poland He Did Not Deliver A Speech To The Public Or Meet With Former Polish President And Human Rights Leader Lech Walesa

During Obama’s 2011 Trip To Poland, Former Polish President Lech Walesa “Declined To Meet Obama, Explaining It Would Be Nothing More Than A ‘Photo Opportunity.’” “On Friday evening, Obama sat down for dinner with 20 Central and Eastern European leaders who were in Warsaw to discuss how they could help the pro-democracy movements in northern Africa and the Middle East. … But in something of a low-key visit, Obama gave no speech to the Polish public as he did in Prague in 2009, when he laid out his vision for a nuclear-free world. Former Polish president Lech Walesa also declined to meet Obama, explaining it would be nothing more than a ‘photo opportunity.’” (Tony Wesolowsky, “Obama Highlights Poland As Model For A Changing Middle East,” The Christian Science Monitor, 5/28/11)

Walesa And Other Eastern European Leaders Complained That Obama Failed To Protect Their Security Interests 

Three Years Ago, Lech Walesa Joined 21 Eastern European Leaders In A Letter To Obama That Called For More Attention To The Region And Expressed Worries Over The Relationship He Was Building With Russia. “The deep concern among America’s Eastern European allies over improved relations between Russia and the United States spilled into the open on Thursday when 22 prominent figures, including Poland’s Lech Walesa and the Czech Republic’s Vaclav Havel, published an open letter to the Obama administration begging not to be forgotten.” (Nicholas Kulish, “Eastern Europe Is Uneasy Over U.S. Ties With Russia,” The New York Times, 7/17/09)

• The Leaders Warned Obama That “Abandoning The Missile Defense Plan Or Giving Russia Too Big A Role In It Could ‘Undermine The Credibility Of The United States Across The Whole Region.’” “In the letter, the leaders urged President Obama and his top policy makers to remember their interests as they negotiate with Russia and review plans for missile defense bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. Abandoning the missile defense plan or giving Russia too big a role in it could ‘undermine the credibility of the United States across the whole region,’ the letter said.” (Nicholas Kulish, “Eastern Europe Is Uneasy Over U.S. Ties With Russia,” The New York Times, 7/17/09)
   
• “Russia Was Clearly Central To The Worries Expressed By The Drafters,” As They Expressed Their Concerns Over NATO’s “Defense Readiness” In Eastern Europe. “‘Our region is one part of the world that Americans have largely stopped worrying about,’ the letter said, even though ‘all is not well either in our region or in the trans-Atlantic relationship.’ While the letter covered a range of issues, including the dangers presented to the young democracies in the region by the economic crisis, Russia was clearly central to the worries expressed by the drafters. …  Expressing concerns about the growing weakness of NATO, the leaders said that Mr. Obama’s call at the recent NATO summit for ‘credible defense plans for all Alliance members was welcome, but not sufficient to allay fears about the Alliance’s defense readiness.’” (Nicholas Kulish, “Eastern Europe Is Uneasy Over U.S. Ties With Russia,” The New York Times, 7/17/09)

Obama Scrapped Plans For A New Missile Defense System In Europe, “Drawing Immediate Cheers In Moscow And Criticism Elsewhere.” “President Barack Obama’s decision to drop plans to deploy a ballistic-missile defense shield in Central Europe — drawing immediate cheers in Moscow and criticism elsewhere — is a gamble by the U.S. that scaling back its defense ambitions will improve security in the long run.” (Peter Spiegel, “U.S. Shelves Nuclear-Missile Shield,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/17/09)

• Obama’s Compromise Undermined The Entire U.S. Nuclear Shield And Strengthened The Kremlin’s Hand. “The U.S. decision also undermines the credibility of the U.S. nuclear defense umbrella. The Bush Administration sought to develop a global defense posture in part to reassure allies that they don’t need their own nuclear deterrent, even as rogue regimes seek nuclear arms and the missiles to deliver them.” (Editorial, “Obama’s Missile Offense,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/18/09)
• As A Result Of Obama’s Action, “In Eastern And Central Europe…The United States May No Longer Be A Reliable Guarantor Of Security.” “In Eastern and Central Europe, there has been fear since the administration canceled long-planned missile defense installations in Poland and the Czech Republic that the United States may no longer be a reliable guarantor of security.” (Robert Kagan, Op-Ed, “Allies Everywhere Feeling Snubbed By President Obama,” The Washington Post, 3/17/10)

Ignoring Polish Security Needs, Obama Has Emboldened Russia With Promises Of More “Flexibility”

“In A Private Conversation About The Planned U.S.-Led NATO Missile Defense System In Europe, Obama Asked Outgoing Russian President Dmitri Medvedev For Space On The Issue.” (Brianna Keilar, “Open Mic Catches Obama Asking Russian President For Space On Missile Defense,” CNN, 3/26/12)

• Obama To Russian President Medvedev: “After My Election I Have More Flexibility.”  OBAMA: “On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space.” PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV: “Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…” OBAMA: “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.” MEDVEDEV: “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.” (Jake Tapper, “President Obama Asks Medvedev For ‘Space’ On Missile Defense - ‘After My Election I Have More Flexibility’,” ABC News, 3/26/12)
• WATCH HERE

The Washington Post: “Obama’s Assurance To Mr. Medvedev … Raised A Reasonable Question: What ‘Flexibility’ Will Mr. Obama Be Prepared To Offer On Missile Defense?” “Mr. Obama’s assurance to Mr. Medvedev, meanwhile, has raised a reasonable question: What ‘flexibility’ will Mr. Obama be prepared to offer on missile defense, given that Mr. Putin surely will not be satisfied with anything short of scrapping the system or giving Russia a veto over its use?” (Editorial, “President Obama’s Bad Bet On Vladimir Putin,” The Washington Post, 3/28/12)

• The Wall Street Journal: Worries Over “What Mr. Obama Might Do In A Second Term Once He Is Unchecked By Any Future Electoral Constraints” Are “Especially Apt On National Security.” “One of the big issues of this election will be what Mr. Obama might do in a second term once he is unchecked by any future electoral constraints. Would he unleash the EPA and other regulators that he has restrained somewhat (the ozone rule) this past year before an election campaign? Would he use his executive powers to further empower labor unions? The worry is especially apt on national security, where Congress has far less power to limit Presidential policies. Mr. Putin wants to limit or kill U.S. missile defenses in Europe and elsewhere. Mr. Obama hasn’t dared to cut such an arms control deal in his first term, but what about in a second? In 2001, he told a Chicago TV station that ‘I don’t agree with a missile defense system.’” (Editorial, “The Open-Mic Second Term,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/27/12)