In Eastern Europe, the United States of America has never served as an imperial power. These are countries that have either been dominated by Russians for hundreds of years, or else were previously dominated by Germans before falling under Russian hegemony. The United States was in no way involved in these efforts at imperial domination, and expended considerable blood and treasure throughout the 20th century combating the local imperial powers. ~Matt Yglesias, The American Prospect

Besides Yglesias’ apparent blind spot to the entire decade of the 1990s, what is this about “eastern Europe” being subject to the Russians for centuries?  Which “eastern Europe” are we talking about?  Most of what used to be called eastern Europe in the Cold War years had almost never been under Russian control (e.g., the old Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, the old Yugoslavia); much of this same area is often now described as central or central-eastern Europe as the geographical definition of Europe stopping at the Urals has gained some recognition.