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September 18, 2009 By Fausta

Polish PM won’t take Obama’s, or Hillary’s, calls

The Polish Prime Minister knows when he’s being sold down the river, and wasn’t about to make nice:
Polish PM wouldn’t take U.S. calls

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed today that he declined last night to take a call from the U.S. informing him of the decision to scrap planned missile-defense bases in his country.

Two U.S.-based sources close to the Polish government said Thursday that Tusk also rejected a call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — on the grounds that, as the head of the government, he should speak to the president.

“Hillary called — and the reason he turned it down was because of protocol,” said a source.

Questions about the exchanges surfaced in the Polish press after Obama reached the Czech prime minister late last night to warn of the policy change, but did not speak to the Pole until this morning. And the static offers a glimpse at the distress beneath the diplomatic facade being offered by Eastern European leaders.

Polish Radio reports today that Tusk confirmed an earlier press report that he hadn’t taken Obama’s call but denied it was due to “technical difficulties.”

Tusk said he declined to speak with President Obama during the night because he wanted to “properly prepare for the discussion.”

A Polish Embassy spokesman noted that Tusk ultimately spoke to Obama, while Clinton spoke to the country’s foreign minister.

This highlights a few facts:
a. As Michael Goldfarb stated yesterday,

the administration did not undertake any serious consultation with the allies affected by this decision, displaying a kind of unilateralism that became one of the core Democratic criticisms of the Bush administration’s diplomacy

b. The president did not see fit to advise in person any of the allies affected, even when they see this decision as potentially catastrophic. They were not called to Washington, instead they got a phone call.
c. Obama does not understand the niceties of protocol, sending the help to do the call to a head of state, instead of doing the calling. Next thing you know Tusk will be getting a set of DVDs as a consolation prize.

Max Boot writes about More Naiveté

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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Czech Republic, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Russia, Vladimir Putin Tagged With: Fausta's blog, missile defense system, nuclear weapons, Poland

Comments

  1. Alexander Münch says

    September 18, 2009 at 8:31 am

    Yes! I can hear the thundering storm of a million horses with a million ANTI-SMITES on top of them with shining sward in the air with Vodka vomit dribbling on their beards, attacking the Capitol!
    Copulla, where are you? You must take this shot!

  2. E.M.H. says

    September 18, 2009 at 9:08 am

    Well, that’s what he gets. He goes out of his way to make time for repressive regimes, but for allies who’ve worked at liberalizing and improving their societies, he phones instead.

    Why isn’t this bigger news?

  3. mawskrat says

    September 18, 2009 at 10:42 am

    my apologies from the USA. The big o has thrown you under the bus. we need to get this liberal out of office

  4. DavidL says

    September 18, 2009 at 10:46 am

    Mrs. B.J. Clinton can you explain your “Smart Diplomacy” again?

  5. expat says

    September 18, 2009 at 10:57 am

    When I went to Yahoo today to check my mail, the news headlines (for Germany) came up. The top head was about the reactiion of the Polish press to Obama’s actions. It was not pleasant.

  6. safariman says

    September 19, 2009 at 2:17 am

    All I can say is, I don’t blame the Poles!.

    From Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

  7. Obloodyhell says

    September 19, 2009 at 2:45 am

    > Why isn’t this bigger news?

    Because of the small penises endemic to US Media.

  8. Obloodyhell says

    September 19, 2009 at 2:46 am

    > All I can say is, I don’t blame the Poles!.

    Yes, like it’s the fault of the esquimos, or the penguins in the Antarctic….

    S:oP

    .

  9. Obloodyhell says

    September 19, 2009 at 2:49 am

    > my apologies from the USA. The big o has thrown you under the bus.

    No, it’s no longer a bus. It’s the Obama Mass Transit System.

    Why should he do things piecemeal?

    =====

    Dr. Sanity points out that it’s even better —

    Obama in April, 2009, in Prague:

    So let me be clear: Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran’s neighbors and our allies. The Czech Republic and Poland have been courageous in agreeing to host a defense against these missiles. As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defense system that is cost-effective and proven. (Applause.) If the Iranian threat is eliminated, we will have a stronger basis for security, and the driving force for missile defense construction in Europe will be removed. (Applause.)

    He’d just finished telling them he was behind them 1000%…

    Who knew we were electing George McGovern?

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