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This week's diplomatic foray into Ukraine and Georgia by U.S. Vice-President Joseph Biden has suddenly taken on the appearance of a fire-fighting expedition. And unless fires can be extinguished by bromides, there may soon be a conflagration.

Twenty-two distinguished Central and Eastern European political and intellectual leaders published an open letter last week to Mr. Biden's boss expressing their fear that America had lost interest in their region. The list of signatories brought together veteran anti-Communist dissidents such as Vaclav Havel and Lech Walesa with post-Communist whiz kids such as former Polish president Alexander...