The Outlook for U.S. Central Europe Policy under Dubya’s Presidency is very worrisome to Central European commentators. ” Many
of his advisors are from the old Bush camp, and include
those involved in the “Chicken Kiev” fiasco in which Bush
championed the unity of the USSR; those partly responsible
for the shamefully slow reaction to the Lithuanian campaign
for freedom (which caused a well-documented near-fistfight in
the Oval Office between cabinet officials); and those who told
Bush to tell the world he ended the Cold War.

Ex-Secretary of State James Baker is still around. This is
the man who personified the shameful Baltic policies of the
Bush presidency, and he is, in fact, now the man delegated
by the new Bush camp to oversee the Florida recount.
Former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft remained
an advisor of Bush on foreign affairs and has publicly
expressed opinions against NATO enlargement.

However, most worrisome is the possible Bush foreign policy
team. First of all, a likely candidate for secretary of state is
Colin Powell, the military leader from the Gulf War era.
Powell is well respected as a soldier and is liked by both
sides of the political divide, but his credentials are far more
military than diplomatic — two things, many argue, that do not
mix. Powell has been critical of various aspects of Clinton’s
policy in Europe, questioning, for example, the recognition of
the independence of some countries as, in Powell’s view, it
is often only a prelude to conflict.

Even more harrying is the possible appointment of Bush’s
main foreign policy advisor, Condoleezza Rice, as national
security advisor (and it is worthwhile noting that the post of
national security advisor does not require Senate
confirmation, unlike the secretary of state position). Rice
was a major advisor to Bush Senior on Soviet affairs, and
that policy was a dark mark in the 1990s for Washington.
Rice has gone on to make other comments that have turned
her into one of the biggest enemies of the Baltic
communities in the US, as well as others.” And given Dubya’s limited leadership capacities, the likes of Baker, Rice and Powell will be running U.S. foreign policy in earnest. Central Europe Review</small