Posted on 04/12/2010 1:06:02 PM PDT by lizol
Poland’s tragedy is our tragedy
By David A. Harris · April 12, 2010
NEW YORK (JTA) – When the plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and dozens of other officials crashed in the Katyn Forest near Smolensk, Russia on Saturday, this immense disaster was also a personal tragedy.
I lost friends in the crash that killed key leaders from the Polish government, economy, and military.
These friends represented democratic Poland, the country that emerged after a decade of struggle led by Solidarity and KOR activists. And of all places for Polish leaders to meet their maker, why did it have to be Katyn, Poles ask, the site of the 1940 Soviet massacre of more than 20,000 Polish officers?
Let me share brief recollections of three of them.
I first met Lech Kaczynski when he was Warsaw’s mayor. He was eager for the renewal of Jewish life in Poland. He felt a kinship to Jews, whom he saw as an integral part of Poland’s fabric. He said it was impossible to understand Poland without comprehending the Jewish role in its life. That’s why he was supportive of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and why he was instrumental in launching it.
I later met him many times as president, most recently in February. A man of passion and principle, he seldom minced words. He knew where he stood and he didn’t try to mask his views from others.
Kaczynski was a friend of the United States. He wasn’t always so certain, however, that the friendship was reciprocated. Indeed, he feared that at times Poland’s loyalty was taken for granted. But he saw the United States as the only real guarantor of global security -- if, he said, Washington wouldn’t succumb to Russia’s siren song or Europe’s equivocation.
The president was a friend of Israel. He liked and understood it. He instinctively grasped its security predicaments because he could personally relate to a vulnerable country in a tough neighborhood. And he chastised those quick to judge Israel in order to curry favor with others, again seeing a parallel with Poland, whose own interests were sacrificed more than once on the altar of global power politics.
Rejecting Iran’s nuclear ambitions was a no-brainer for Kaczynski. Like many Poles, he and his family had witnessed man’s capacity for evil. In our meetings, he’d get right to the point: Isn’t it obvious what Iran is doing? Iran’s leaders can’t be trusted with a bomb. The world needs to get tougher with Tehran.
Mariusz Handzlik was another friend on the plane. A diplomat whom I first met in Washington years ago, he was serving as undersecretary of state in the office of Poland’s president.
Mariusz and I shared a deep admiration for Jan Karski, the Polish wartime hero who later joined the faculty of Georgetown University. While serving in the United States, Mariusz befriended Karski, becoming his regular chess partner. They were playing chess when Karski suddenly felt ill and died shortly afterward. Together, Mariusz and I cried for this man who, at repeated risk to his own life, had tried to alert a largely deaf world to the Nazi’s Final Solution.
And when Mariusz was assigned to the Polish Mission to the United Nations, he proudly told me that now he would be in a position, together with his colleagues, to help Israel in the world body. He wanted the Israelis to know they had friends at the United Nations, which largely was seen as hostile territory for Israel.
Andrzej Przewoźnik was secretary-general of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom Sites.
I first met him when the Polish government and the American Jewish Committee joined together to demarcate, protect, and memorialize the site of the Nazi death camp in Belzec, located in southeastern Poland. In less than a year, more than 500,000 Jews were killed in an area barely the size of a few football fields. Only two Jews survived.
In June 2004, after years of planning and construction, the site was inaugurated. As the late Miles Lerman said at that solemn ceremony, “No place of martyrdom anywhere is today as well protected and memorialized as Belzec.”
That could not have occurred without Andrzej’s pivotal role. He helped make it happen, overcoming the multiple hurdles along the way. By doing so, he ensured that what took place at Belzec, long neglected by the Communists, would never be forgotten.
May the memories of Lech Kaczynski, Mariusz Handzlik, Andrzej Przewoźnik – and their fellow passengers – forever be for a blessing, as those of us privileged to have known them were ourselves blessed.
That said; find it strange that the President of Poland and Heads of State - and top Military - are flying in; as are others no doubt, from Poland for what is a huge, National commemorative event; and the air traffic Controllers can only respond in Russian and broken English.
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. . . He said 'mainly we spoke Russian to the crew, partly bad English. Understanding was hard.'
The Polish pilots 'began to land without our permission' and 'did not report to us with their altitude data', he added.
Another controller Pavel Plyusnin confirmed the understanding was '50-50' as the plane approached its tragic end.
'It was hard to guess here if the pilot understood us properly,' said Col Muraviev. 'The language barrier did not help of course. I think it could have affected the result of this flight along with other circumstances
I think they have said more here, than they meant to. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265482/Russia-engineered-air-crash-killed-President-Kaczynski-claims-Polish-MP.html#ixzz0kvIfTe2g 'Polish' flights; and the 'Controllers'
Clealy, he had prescient instincts and close to right, so far. . .
If the Russians were involved in this somehow....
However, without investigation, who knows how much of a factor the fog was or that it really existed. Maybe it was jsut a cover for some other . . .
I do not know Polish politics so I sould not necessarily include any Pole in a Russian plot. But I would not discount the possibility totally. The communist left is out to destroy whatever stands in the way, including America. If Obuma can do what he is doing right now with this country, I would not be really suprised at what others may do to their country in the name of world communism. I believe that we are in a struggle similiar to what was seen in the post war Europe, only this time it has been more subtle than tanks and bullets, and much more effeftive.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Netanyahu will miss Kaczynski...they were friends.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a message of solidarity with the Polish people on behalf of the government and people of Israel. “I knew President Kaczynski as a Polish patriot, as a great friend of Israel and as a leader who was very active on behalf of his people,” Netanyahu wrote, adding, “President Kaczynski led an important process for opening a new page in relations between the Polish and Jewish people and developed Polish-Israeli relations.”
“During this painful hour we bow our heads, together with all of the citizens of Israel, over the huge loss to the Polish people and to all nations that seek freedom and peace,” Netanyahu said.
Under Kaczynski, Poland was probably Israel’s only friend in Europe.
You need to consider that the President of Poland was known in the past to make the determination if a plane should procede or not and that against the pilots decision. Plus the fact it took four passes speaks volumes to the weather conditions. Clearly this was an accident and the black boes will reveal that further. It is very likely the piolet determined the flight path with a possibility the Pres. might have said to land and not go to the other airport. It is well documented that the ultimate decision is the pilots not the towers.
Yes, it now looks that way....I have to say no matter what anyone might think of Putin he has thus far gone above and beyond in accomadating and honoring this Pres. and the families of this tragedy.
I saw several videos of Putin and though it may be only political wise to do, he certainly did it right and then some. I hate the communists but I do respect Putin...but of course that only goes just so far.
Jan Karski wrote “Story of the Secret State.”
It tells how the Poles set up an underground government during Nazi occupation and how traitors were dealt with.
There is a great show on TV Polonia (with English subtitles) called “Czas Honoru” (Time of Honor) that is about the Polish underground during the war. They would pass death sentences on collaborators and the members would go and carry out the sentences.
The Polish President was a profile in courage.
Is “Czas Honoru” on DVD? I have no idea where to find TV Polonia. Thanks.
It is everyone’s tragedy. I spoke up at my church yesterday to request prayers for the people of Poland, to be comforted and to get through this and recover.
Am wondering, as well; why even four passes attempted; and they were told in some fashion to 'abort' or move elsewhere. So in this damning fog; they were to just move on? Or to try again; not once/twice but 'four times'? (Were the lights on for this pilot? Did they speak more Russian than English? And not a word of Polish?) Whatever the case, am betting that the Pilot knew Russian. . .AND English. But that will be for later.
Meantime, the pilot certainly must have thought he had a reasonable chance of landing; so just how bad was this fog; that pilot chose to ignore warnings - if in fact he did 'ignore' - and not just try to follow some confusing and contradictory commands? (Other planes turned to alternate airport; per report. . .were they from Poland? What language did these pilots speak/understand?
Hope Polish Authorities have at least, equal control of black box info; but suspect this is left - as we have read - to Putin's final authority per his stated intention of controlling investigation i.e. the Russians have first crack at it - or perhaps, more fairly per 'black box' at least - they will not.
As time goes by; more confusing info will be cast here; though that does not change, necessarily, the final truth of the matter. A truth we will probably never have confirmed, at least, confirmed without leaving a doubt.
It seems a 'second hand' of Stalin, reached out here and am not sure how a tragedy so profound, unfolds; without so much as a push by evil intention.
That said, of course, not only do 'accidents happen'; but life happens; and too often in ways, that we cannot fathom.
Actually not at all...it's Russia.. and known to be the norm pretty much when it comes to their tower people. Additionally I understand filling those positions is difficult as well, so no I do not question this.
Certainly the fog was a huge issue as it was thick...even the videos show the density, aside from the smoke. And you must remember that the President of Poland had been known in the past to override the pilots judgement, so that plays into this as well...the pilot may have wanted to otherwise go to another airport but the Pres. overrode that....the black boxes will likely answer some more of the questions as this investigation continues. But the pilot does have the authority over the tower to make the judgement call...he did not ignore the tower as the news people choice of words stated, they like to build the emotional reaction of the public to keep them engaged..words do that as does intrigue. Especially given the countries envolved and the event.
Polish authorities were already there when boxes were located and recovered.. so that is a non-issue...though some might choose to make it one as we have read in the news. Remember there were authorites waiting for their arrival who had gone ahead of this flight.
I think too we need to remember this is Russia not the USA. Their resources and pretty much everything we take for granted is scarcer and that includes the quality of their employees as well who are often stretched thin.
... Not to mention no one alive in Russia will want to take responsibility...fear does come into the picture too. Look how quick the head of the maintenance crew spoke up about the fine condition this plane was in, and that those who overhauled it and kept it in shape could not have had anything to do with the plane failing, that it had to be something else....as the smoke was still billowing from the site! That was fast and he didn't look very confident to say the least!....Then put yourself in his shoes with Putin and the international community watching it all! Someone is going to take the hit and no matter what the findings are...it will inded be an accident.... But I do think it was.
Have read on polishblog.forum - that the Russian Air Traffic Controllers ignored 'protocol' by speaking Russian and not English. Don't know the situation here per 'who' was in charge; nor their language skills; but again; many questions. Certainly; given the 'who' on this plane; it should have been a 'high priority' insuring a safe arrival.
.....High Priority....in Russia is very different than it is here...again one has to consider the culture and mindset as well as how words are understood in Russia. They don’t have a severe problem with alcohol for nothing there.
If you have Verizon FIOS they have it as a pay channel, or you can go to tvpolonia.com and get a subscription (about $80 a year), that’s what I do, and their shows are on demand, many, though not all of their shows have English subtitles.
A lunatic - as I said.
A reasonable person, especially a politician and a member of parliament should not make such statements without any reasons, based only on bitter Polish-Russian history.
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