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TheVisionThing
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TheSovietUnionhadproposeda“commonEuropeanhome”excluding
theU.S.,andBushisspeechdidamasterfuljobsuccinctlyweavingtogether
NATOisaccomplishmentsinwaysthatmadeapowerfulcaseforsustaining
thealliance—acasethatneededtobemadeintheWestaswellasin
Moscow:
First,therewasthevision,theconceptoffreepeoplesinNorth
AmericaandEuropeworkingtoprotecttheirvalues.Andsecond,
therewasthepracticalsharingofrisksandburdensandarealistic
recognitionofSovietexpansionism.Andfinally,therewasthe
determinationtolookbeyondoldanimosities.TheNATOalliance
didnothinglessthanprovideawayforWesternEuropetoheal
centuries-oldrivalries,tobeginaneraofreconciliationand
restoration.Ithasbeen,infact,asecondRenaissanceofEurope.
TheGermanQuestion.Bushchosetogivehismajorspeechabout
endingtheColdWarinGermanywithChancellorKohlbyhisside.He
extolledGermanyisstrengthduringtheColdWar,callingitcourageous
andmagnificent.WithoutanyhesitationaboutwhatGermanymight
become,hecalledout“LetBerlinbenext—letBerlinbenext!”Buthealso
usedGermanyisexperienceasanexampleofwhatwaspossibleinthe
present:“IfancientrivalslikeBritainandFrance,orFranceandGermany,
canreconcile,thenwhynotthenationsoftheEastandWest?”
BushunderstoodbetterthanmostleadersthataunifiedGermany
wouldbetheanchorofapost-ColdWarEurope,andfosteredratherthan
attemptedtopreventit(asotherWesternleadersdid),lendingAmerican
supporttoachievetermsfavourabletoEuropeissecurityandsustainingof
thetransatlanticrelationship.HisencouragementofaunifiedGermany,
hisgentleinsistencethatneitherweintheWestnorthoseintheEasthad
anythingtofearfromastrong,prosperous,unitedGermanywasessential
insettingtheconditionsforthepost-ColdWarorder.
ConstructivePolicies.ProposalsinthespeechincentivisedSoviet
cooperationinmovingbeyondtheColdWar.ItofferedwaivingJackson-
Vanikpenaltiesandendingsanctionsthathadbeenputinplaceagainst
theSovietUnion,expandingtheHelsinkiAccords,cooperatingon
environmentalissues(thiscomingaftertheChernobylreactorcrisis),
