Barack Obama fails to win Nato troops he wants for Afghanistan
Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America’s allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.
But though he continued to dazzle Europeans on his debut international tour, the Continent’s leaders turned their backs on the US President.
Gordon Brown was the only one to offer substantial help. He offered to send several hundred extra British soldiers to provide security during the August election, but even that fell short of the thousands of combat troops that the US was hoping to prise from the Prime Minister.
But hey, there will be 35 Belgians and 12 Spaniards coming along for the ride. What could go wrong?
That was in Baden-Baden, Germany. Now the Obamas are heading to the Czech Republic. My friend Maria (who was born and raised there) asked me to Czech this out:
Obama blew off yet another ally, in favor of “having a romantic private dinner.”
When President Obama arrives here on Saturday for a meeting aimed at forging closer trans-Atlantic relations, aides say he has opted for a romantic private dinner with the first lady. That, rather than a glass of Czech beer with Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who last week invoked Satan’s lair to characterize the American president’s economic policies.
The Obamas also decided to forgo an official state dinner with Vaclav Klaus, the fiery Czech president.
Last week I posted the YouTube of the Topolanek speech,
Czech politics are in disarray right now, but obviously Obama doesn’t want to hear from anyone who vehemently opposes state intervention on the economy and (heavens to Betsy!) doesn’t believe in anthropogenic global warming.
It doesn’t sound like there will be the kind of rave reviews that the Obamas have been getting in this trip so far.
Of course getting blown off like that is not going to make the Czech people less worried,
Czechs have looked with growing alarm at what many perceive as Mr. Obama’s forsaking of the free-market principles that this country ardently embraced after decades under Communism.
Indeed, many Czechs have long looked to the United States — not Western Europe — as a political and economic model.
…
Yet in a nation where President Ronald Reagan remains the unrivaled hero of the Cold War, many here fear Mr. Obama is too soft on Russia and too willing to compromise.
…
Mr. Kotas said he worried that Mr. Obama, after completing a review of American security policy, would abandon plans to install a missile-defense radar system in the Czech Republic. The proposed system has polarized Czech society, but many nevertheless view it as an essential bulwark against Russia.
Yup, might as well play it safe and have a nice romantic dinner instead.
Oh, and by the way, that will be followed by a visit to the Prague Castle on Sunday, a location that inspired Franz Kafka’s novel, The Castle.
UPDATE
Won’t be picking up the Czechs for dinner, but will be aiming towards “friendship and cooperation” with Sudan (h/t Larwyn).
Incredible. Simply incredible.
UPDATE 2, Monday 6 April
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Maybe the Czechs, the Poles, the Romanians, et al should forge their own little Axis-of-the-Not-So-Evil-But-Merely-Disagreeable. I think then that Pres Obama would find the time to speak to them in the interest of soothing the roiled waters of Europe?
He may be having problems working out where he is and who all these people are. During his rather odd press conference in Strasbourg he referred to something called Austrian language. Actually, they speak German there. Imagine if President Bush had said that.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/04/news_conference_by_president_obama.php
Response to the last question but one from the Austrian lady.
Dan Bilefsky lives off writing harsh comments on Klaus. He simply lies.
There was a dinner with Klaus on Sunday, just as it was planned.
Another dinner with Topolánek was suggested for Saturday, but this was turned down months ago for time reasons.
The Saturday was always scheduled as a private time for Obama and possible time reserve because.
Having a romantic private dinner is spotless in this respect (and there was none as Obama was late because of the NATO meeting).
The Obama’s visit in Prague was in fact pretty undisturbed and civilised. The only attempt to disturb it was the Czech Minister of the Environment’s attack on President Václav Klaus which was immediately cut off by Obama’s declaration that any enviromental problems are inferior to the economic reality and the economic crisis.
Czech politics is not in disarray, at least not in any exceptional way. Replacing the government is standard democratic procedure and there is no room for worries abroad as under Czech constitutional system there is always somebody in charge of the government’s duties. The only effect for abroad could be a change in government’s positions, but that’s normal in democracy, isn’t it? Or, is the concept of a government accountable to the people unknown in the western Europe?
P.S. Why do you think Kafka’s The Castle is inspired by the Prague Castle? I fail to see the link here.