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Eisen reconfirmed as US Ambassador to the Czech Republic

13.12.2011 | Stephen Christensen

US-Czech relations dodged a bullet yesterday, as current US ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen overcame a filibuster as the US Senate voted 70-16 in favor of Eisen’s return to Prague. As a recess appointed ambassador, Eisen was afforded only a one-year term, which was set to expire January 1, 2012. 

Standing in the way of Eisen’s confirmation in 2010 and reconfirmation this month was the very unyielding Senator Chuck Grassley, surprisingly also a member of the Congressional Czech Caucus. Background information on Grassley’s beef with Eisen can be found here.

US-Czech relations needed this small but meaningful victory. Ambassador Eisen’s arrival in Prague in January 2010 ended the two-year drought of the top post at the US Embassy. More importantly, his reconfirmation eliminates the possibility of another two-year vacancy. Had Eisen not been confirmed, the post would have sat empty for 2012 due to November’s presidential elections, and likely most of 2013 due to the usual infighting over ambassadorial nominations. 

Following the collapse  of US-Czech missile defense cooperation earlier in the year, the presence of a US ambassador in Prague is crucial for maintaining political relations, especially as US interests pivot away from Europe and the Middle East toward the Asia-Pacific. That’s not to say US does not have sincere bilateral interests in the Czech Republic, because they do. We can expect much of Ambassador Eisen’s efforts to be directed toward US based Westinghouse’s pursuit of the Temelin bid, in addition to furthering mutual interests in strengthening economic and defense relations.

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