The US is not just Washington

A meeting at the White House is always a significant event. However, the United States is more than Washington, the capital, where Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to arrive on Monday. There are other major cities, such as Chicago, which Tsipras is also scheduled to visit - and with good reason. The large Greek-American community, which could (under the right circumstances) be of great service to Athens, also has a significant presence in other cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia and Florida. Most of these places are of considerable political importance.

Chicago is home to the very effective Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC). The Greek-American advocacy organization, which has links to the country's executive and legislative power, helped set up events and meetings for the visiting prime minister. During his stay in Chicago,...