Decades of stubborn resistance have resulted in today’s free and prosperous state.

Vilnius, Lithuania

NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE L ithuanians like America. Their unofficial slogan might be modeled after the famous Mexican lament: “So close to Russia, so far from America.” Although Vilnius is a member of the European Union and NATO, Lithuanians look to Washington as their protector. Their desire to strengthen that relationship led the Atlantic Council, a think tank founded in 1961, to organize a trip for some Washington policy nerds to visit.

Lithuanian fears over Moscow’s possibly malign ambitions are understandable, if probably overstated. Vladimir Putin is no friend of liberty, but attacking any of the Baltic states would result in far more costs and …