[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Tgl-elpxg[/youtube]

President Obama speaks glowingly of ‘inextricable links’ between the world’s countries, forgetting sometimes, however, which links are truly inextricable: America’s alliance with Europe. Commenting last week on this alliance during a visit to Heritage, former Spanish President José Maria Aznar said:

It’s necessary in my view to bring forth this Atlantic Alliance, this Atlantic link, and to avoid confusion between the allies in the future.

The confusion Mr. Aznar refers to is in particular the result of the Obama administration’s weak stances on Iran and Venezuela. Moreover, Obama’s recent shameful decision to abandon plans for basing elements of the U.S. missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic only worsens the Allies’ confusion of where America stands when it comes to standing up for freedom and democracy around the world. The ‘Atlantic link’ Mr. Aznar has long defended and refers to above, must be actively protected and enhanced, not propped up by hollow catchphrases.