Dianne Feinstein: “I happen to believe that admitting Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to NATO is a natural and logical response to…”

“I happen to believe that admitting Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to NATO is a natural and logical response to the end of the cold war, and is a crucial element of a larger strategy to build a Europe that is at last undivided, democratic, and at peace. I support enlargement because, first, I believe there is a sound strategic rationale for enlargement; secondly, because I believe that Russian concerns that NATO expansion presents a threat or a challenge to the well-being of Russia are unfounded; and, thirdly, because I believe that costs of enlargement will not be an undue burden on the United States but, rather, will be shared among all members on a fair basis. For almost 50 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has served as the centerpiece of American foreign policy in the European theater. NATO presented a firm committed alliance, a major deterrent to any aggressive thrust by the Soviet Union. It has been a successful military alliance, and it has served the national interests of the United States in preventing aggression in uncertain times.”