BY
Turn on the news, and every night it seems that
attacks happen around the world. Our enemies have been emboldened over the past
seven years, under President Barack Obama. One of the most glaring examples is
Vladimir Putin and Russia. The Obama administration has allowed
Putin to pursue his “near abroad” strategy to reestablish control over
former Soviet states and threaten our allies.
Just last month, a troubling video surfaced, of a
Russian warplane buzzing a U.S. destroyer in a simulated attack in the Baltic
Sea. From this simulated attack, to Putin’s invasion of Crimea and Eastern
Ukraine, to the Russian military’s escalating presence near an
indispensable U.S. ally, Putin no longer feels restrained.
But how did we get here? It
started when Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hit the
“reset” button with Russia. The reset simply did not work. In fact, many allies
worried that Russia was a higher priority than they were for the United States.
Statements warning Syria not to cross the red line meant nothing and were noted
by our foes.
The Associated Press reported that NATO is
“considering establishing a rotational ground force in the Baltic states and
possibly Poland, reflecting deepening worry about Russian military
assertiveness,” in response to Russia’s aforementioned military maneuver
in the Baltic.
This is a good first step to
stop Putin’s bullying, but NATO allies are growing more concerned that the
United States might not be committed to the partnership.
It is important to note that
NATO requires each member country to spend two percent of its gross domestic
product on defense. Not many do, but Britain, Estonia, Greece, and Poland
make the mark, and signs point to Turkey hitting that threshold in a few years.
Recently, many United States
senators are asking why America pays more that its fair share to fund
NATO, compared to other member countries. It is a valid question. But
to ensure a strong America, we must have a strong NATO.
Our next president must
focus on pushing back against Russia and strengthening America’s standing
around the world.
I know firsthand how important
NATO is to the strength and security of our allies, as ambassador to Poland
from 2004 to 2009. Poland, a relatively new member of NATO, stood with the
United States in Afghanistan and Iraq. Putin’s continued threat to
NATO allies means we must have an America that remains vigilant and stands
with our friends.
But Putin is not just behaving
badly in Poland. Across the Black Sea from Ukraine, the Washington Post recently reported that “Russia is sending
a new set of fighter jets and combat helicopters to an air base only 25 miles
from the Turkish border,” in Armenia.
Just as Poland is important to
ensure that Europe’s eastern NATO flank is strong, Turkey is an indispensable
ally and is the NATO gateway to the Middle East. Turkey has also been taking in
hundreds of thousands of refugees, and is reestablishing diplomatic ties
with Israel.
I understand that the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee is holding hearings in the near future, with
Obama administration officials, on Russia’s influence.
That is a positive
development. I am sure that Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the committee chair,
will hold the Obama administration accountable. He will ask why the
administration has been unable to restrain Putin’s violations of various
nations’ national integrity. Corker’s stature in the Senate and his stand
on important foreign policy issues will be a signal to our NATO allies
that America will stand with them, and against Putin and Russia.
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