Global Voices Online

Edward Lucas reflects on the difficulties for business still posed by obsolete imperial bureaucratic traditions in large tracts of Central and Eastern Europe.

“Syria and Lebanon are to open embassies in each other's capitals for the first time ever,” reports Sasa from Syria.

Leopolis writes about Poland's refusal to host the U.S. missile defense shield: “According to Republican adviser and historian Edward Lutwak, ‘the government of the Republic of Poland by rejecting the US offer forfeited a valuable partner that would protect it against Russia. It is an elementary mistake.' Such talk will certainly convince Moscow that the shield is directed towards them, an even more elementary mistake.”

Copydude comments on the US Missile Defence Shield, Poland and Lithuania.

Polandian writes about Stanisław Lem.

A debate on Lech Wałęsa continues at Polandian: “a hero / a lesser hero / a traitor. Choose your title.” Raf Uzar posts on the controversy as well.

Polandian continues the virtual “tour of what’s left to see of the Warsaw ghetto.”

Lituanica writes about rumors that Lithuania has offered to deploy elements of the U.S. anti-missile shield, “as an alternative to Poland.”