The article states that if Washington increased American troop presence on Polish territory at the expense of America’s presence in Germany that would spell problems for Poland coming from Germany. I do not agree with that whatsoever. It is true that even Polish government says that the do not want that to happen "at the expense of reducing the American contingent in Germany." But, it's not because they are afraid what Germans will do, because they are already doing that with Nord Stream II, but because they know that the more US troops on European continent, the better for everybody.
The author is correct saying that "after all, Germany and Russia carved up Poland three times in the 18th century and then again in 1939." But, the truth is even darker. Neither Germany nor Russia has ever given up their dreams of possessing the territories that border with theirs. In 1920 Germany quietly supported Red Army's effort to take Warsaw and therefore Poland. Therefore, the 1939 alliance between German Nazis and Soviets should not be any surprise. And in this light the current German-Russian efforts to build a pipeline, Nord Stream II, that could substantially weaken Poland's and Ukrainian economies should not be any surprise either.
While I am not saying that the author is totally wrong in his conclusion when he says that: "Given Putin’s hostility toward NATO, now is not the time to reduce America’s presence in that country - and certainly not the time to engender friction between two of NATO’s most important member states and major American allies." I am convinced that it is a good time for the US to send a very strong signal to Germany that it's time to fulfill their commitments toward NATO, because otherwise when would be a "good time" to do that?
Please remember that Poland always was and always will be exactly in the middle between Germany and Russia both physically, or should I say geographically, and politically. (It's as certain as death and taxes.)
