Final Word from Thursday, February 21, 2019
As it turns out, the CR became a flyover state for Mike Pompeo last week not so much because of Tomáš Petříček's visit this week to the U.S. State Department, but because of Andrej Babiš's visit to the White House on March 7. A stop in Prague by Pompeo would have been overkill. The U.S. embassy waited tactfully and tactically until this week to announce Donald Trump's invitation and even did Babiš a solid yesterday by doing it before Petříček landed in Washington and had time to "arrange" the meeting for Babiš. The U.S. needs Babiš's help and is going out of its way for him. Of the major issues now on the table (Huawei, Venezuela, democracy, Afghanistan, defense, nuclear power, Russia, Iran), the Trump administration has Babiš on its side in more cases than any other European ally. But, as Trump says, "In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake, but by what you finally accomplish." So he still has to seal some deals with Babiš personally. [ Czech Republic United States Michael military helicopters spending ]
Glossary of difficult words
flyover state - one of the states in central regions of the U.S. regarded as less significant than the East or West coasts;
overkill - excessive use, treatment, action or substance;
tactfully - in a way that has or shows skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues;
to do someone a solid - to do someone a favor.