Things are changing so rapidly in Eastern Europe that the majority of the world is a bit shocked. Who would have guessed just last year that Communist countries such as Poland, Hungary and Czechoslavakia would be adopting major changes in their systems.

Even Mikhail Gorbachev has said socialism must change—even undertake some capitalistic manuevers—to remain a viable force in the world’s economy. The Soviet leader has been pursuing change for some time now, but the latest show of support for changes in Czechoslavakia indicates that he is playing for real and realizes that certain forms of governance are no longer suitable for world-wide competition.

Along the way to reform in these countries, President Bush has maintained a rather silent posture from the sidelines. U.S. excitement over the changes has been relatively minimal.

This week, Bush and Gorbachev will meet in the Mediterranean for another summit meeting. It has been said by many from both sides that nothing major will be decided at the meetings. This is unfortunate when one considers the state of radical change that has fallen upon Eastern Europe. What better time to discuss the world-wide implications such changes will undoubtedly have?

Some claim the U.S has slipped lately in its stance as a world power. If we do not act soon, and take advantage of the many changes occurring, we might slip further into a world that is shrinking day by day.