Foreign Policy, Poland | featured news

The British were offended, the Palestinians accused him of racism and even in friendlier Poland, Mitt Romney's union policies drew criticism from the current leaders of the movement that toppled communism... "The designated Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wanted to demonstrate foreign policy expertise and diplomatic skills with his trip to Britain, Israel and Poland," the Swiss newspaper Tages-Zeitung said Tuesday. "Today, on the last day of the tour, he must be made to admit that he clearly missed this target."

U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney held up Poland's transition from Communism to democracy as an example for the rest of the world while saying on Tuesday that Russia had faltered on the path to freedom.

One of Romney's aides, Rick Gorka, had an exchange with reporters who tried to ask the likely GOP nominee questions about missteps during the trip. Gorka told reporters to "show some respect" at the Polish holy site, and also said "kiss my ass" and "shove it." Politico reports he later called reporters to apologize.

Solidarity, the trade union movement which led the Polish struggle against communist rule, distanced itself on Monday from a visit to Poland by U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney, saying he supported attacks on unions in his own country.

Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski welcomed a letter from Barack Obama on Friday in which the U.S. leader expressed regret for upsetting Poles earlier this week by referring to a "Polish death camp".

Holding out Poland's transformation to democracy as a model for the world, President Barack Obama on Saturday exhorted Western allies and the American public alike to extend their support, energy and vision to those now reaching for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.