Posted on 04/10/2010 9:43:46 AM PDT by mainsail that
(CNN) -- Experts say the deaths of senior military chiefs in Saturday's plane crash could have more serious implications for Poland than the loss of the country's president.
President Lech Kaczynski was killed Saturday when a plane carrying senior Polish officials on their way to a memorial service in Russia crashed at an airport in Smolensk..
Ninety-seven people were killed including the president's wife, the deputy parliament speaker, the deputy foreign minister and the head of the National Bank of Poland.
"The entire top military brass, including the chief of defense and all the services, were on the plane," said Tomas Valasek, of the Center for European Reform. "If that is true, then you're looking at a situation, in effect, of the decapitation of the military services."
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
It was stupid to have them all on the same plane to begin with, your just begging for it.
But I am sure Putin will get to the bottom of it. //sarcasm
Has Hussein 0bama even made a statement?
My husband used to work for a company that had lost its entire management team — CEO, all the VPs, etc. — in a plane crash 15 years before my husband went to work there. Never again were any of them allowed to fly together to any meeting. And this was just a gear company. I can’t begin to imagine how devastating this would be to a whole country.
I had to burst your bubble, but the Russia Georgia conflict was in August of 2008. Bush was still president.
Geeze!!! What a tragedy.
The newsers are greedily accepting, reporting and pushing this was an accident. Very hasty conclusion considering the make and make up of the plane, the great responsibility of the Pilot and in advanced of any real investigation. Seems rather convenient.
The President of Poland and many cabinet members including the Chief of the Airforce, the Chief of the Army Staff, Commander of the Polish Navy, President of the National Bank, Head of the National Security Bureau, Secretary of State in the Office
What a target rich list.
The National leadership wiped out?
The Pilot carrying such important people arrogantly risked his life and those of the most important people of Poland by attempting to land even though Ground Control told them the airport is closed to traffic due to fog and directed them to Moscow or another city?
What pilot would do that and do so with the very important people on board. His and their safety is paramount.
The president, his wife and entourage were en-route to a memorial service for the victims of the Katyn massacre which, in 1940, saw thousands of Polish prisoners of war murdered (primarily military officers), intellectuals, policemen, and other public servants by the Soviet NKVD
That would not be embarrassing to Russia. No not all.
A former Soviet Pilot state commemorating the deaths of 20,000 of their own people at the hand of the Russians? Why not have a keg a party as well.
Poland watched in horror as the Russians, once again invaded another Soviet Pilot State, Georgia and desperately sought a missile defense system and membership in NATO for protection.
Russia and Obama fixed that little problem by having the missile defense scrapped to appease Russian demands that they not be deployed. Wonder why?
Killed:
The President: Lech Kaczynski. Part of the Solidarity Movement
His Wife: Maria Kaczynski
The National Bank President: Slawomir Skrzypek
The Army Chief of Staff: Gen. Franciszek Gagor
Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish Statesman and last President in exile during Solidarity
The Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremoer
Anna Walentynowicz, whose firing in August 1980 from the Lenin Shipyards in Gdansk sparked a workers' strike that spurred the eventual creation of the Solidarity freedom movement.
96 Souls lost aboard the President's Plane
The President: Lech Kaczynski. Part of the Solidarity Movement
His Wife: Maria Kaczynski
The National Bank President: Slawomir Skrzypek
The Army Chief of Staff: Gen. Franciszek Gagor
Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish Statesman and last President in exile during Solidarity
The Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremoer
* Andrzej Błasik, Chief of the Polish Air Force
* Krystyna Bochenek, Deputy Speaker of the Senatee
* Archbishop Miron Chodakowski, Orthodox Ordinary of the Polish Army
* Leszek Deptuła, member of the Sejm
* Grzegorz Dolniak, member of the Sejm
* Janina Fetlińska, member of the Senate
* General Franciszek Gągor, Chief of the Polish Army General Staff
* Grażyna Gęsicka, member of the Sejm
* Przemysław Gosiewski, member of the Sejm
* Mariusz Handzlik, Undersecretary of State in the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, member of the Sejm
* Sebastian Karpiniuk, member of the Sejm
* Vice Admiral Andrzej Karweta, Commander-in-chief of the Polish Navy
* Janusz Kochanowski, Polish Ombudsman for Citizen Rights
* Janusz Kurtyka, Historian and president of the Institute of National Remembrance
* Aleksandra Natalli-Świat, member of the Sejm
* Piotr Nurowski, President of the Polish Olympic Committee
* Maciej Płażyński, President of the Polish Community Association
* Tadeusz Płoski, bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Polish Army
* Krzysztof Putra, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm
* Andrzej Przewoźnik, Secretary-General of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom Sites
* Ryszard Rumianek, Rector of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University
* Arkadiusz Rybicki, member of the Sejm
* Sławomir Skrzypek, President of the National Bank of Poland
* Władysław Stasiak, Chief of the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Aleksander Szczygło, head of the National Security Bureau
* Jerzy Szmajdziński, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm
* Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz, member of the Sejm
* Anna Walentynowicz, free trade union activist, member of Solidarity
* Zbigniew Wassermann, member of the Sejm
* Wiesław Woda, member of the Sejm
* Edward Wojtas, member of the Sejm
* Paweł Wypych, Secretary of State in the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland
* Stanisław Zając, member of the Senate
Andrzej Przewoźnik, Secretary-General of Rada Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa
and several members of the Sejm. Sławomir Skrzypek
The plane was refurbished and repaired last year, according to the general director of the company that performed the service. Alexei Gusev, the general director of Aviakor Factory, told CNN that the plane received major refurbishing and repair in December 2009.
I meant to say “hate” to burst your bubble. Keyboard error.
I wouldn’t talk about conspiracy theories yet, but I did find the timing to be suspicious.
Although initial signs pointed to an accident with no indication of foul play, the death of a Polish president and much of the Polish state and defense establishment in Russia en route to commemorating one of the saddest events in Poland's long, complicated history with Russia, was laden with tragic irony."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36352097/ns/world_news-europe/
Every read “Poland” by Michener? I learned a lot of their history and one thing I learned is the tenacity and intelligence of the Polish people despite constantly being crapped on by all its neighbors. Poland deserves a lot of respect. I hope this terrible tragedy won’t keep them down.
Wow. We never let our CEO and CFO take the same elevator together, let alone corporate jet.
Yes, Poland does deserve respect. She also deserves every prayer we can muster for her, because a rather large vulture is ready to feast upon her.
Why on earth would you put all your top people on ONE plane?
That’s just asking for trouble even if no foul play is involved.
Part of me is tempted to agree...particularly with the Stalin wannabe,Comrade Putin,in charge.But I can't...simply because the USSR has *nothing* to gain,and *much* to lose,by pi$$ing off the European Union.The Ruskies need the EU on their side in a combined effort to marginalize the US.Murdering the entire Polish civilian and military leadership is serious enough to catch even the *EU's* attention.
Accidents happen.Even in the USSR.
I don’t believe it was an accident for a second.
However...
WHY did the Polish government agree to put all their top people on one plane? I thought that was an obvious security no-no.
I know private individuals who always buy tickets on two separate planes when they have to fly their entire family somewhere. If one plane goes down, you don’t lose the entire family.
I sense this turned out to be a “crime of opportunity.”
“But I can’t...simply because the USSR has *nothing* to gain,and *much* to lose”
If the Russians did it, expect some KGB ‘suicides’ to keep it hidden. They have nothing to lose if they can hide this for 20 years. What do they gain? How would you like to be dead along with your fellow leaders if you oppose us too much? Even ambiguity helps the Russians.
And yes accidents happen, but in Russia everything must be questioned and then some.
Only if they get caught.
“Don’t put all your leadership in one basket is a lesson here.”
Don’t tell that to Obama.
What is the reaction of the Polish people?
Or are they too busy packing to be interviewed?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.