Mixed Emotions

President Obama’s tour of Europe this week prompts mixed emotions. On the one hand, every American should want him to succeed in dissuading Russia from increased aggression against Ukraine or others who are clearly in Vladimir Putin’s crosshairs.

On the other hand, we must hold Mr. Obama accountable for his role in getting us to this point. His past decisions – ranging from a fraudulent “reset” of relations with the Kremlin that amounted to appeasement to his systematic, and ongoing, hollowing out of America’s military – have emboldened Putin to believe he can act with impunity.

As Mr. Obama addresses an international audience in Brussels today, one can only hope that his remarks will mark a break with his past mistakes and begin credibly to restore the deterrence needed now more than ever.