Poland in talks on hosting U.S. military bases

Reuters ^ | 08 Jan 2004 16:53:05 GMT

[11th_VA]

WARSAW, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Poland has launched negotiations with Washington on hosting U.S. military bases on its territory, Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said on Thursday.

"We expect the second round of consultations on the issue of bases early this year. It's too early to give any details," Szmajdzinski told the parliament's defence committee.

He added Poland was generally in favour of hosting the bases, but the issue of who would cover their operating costs remained open.

The United States began a diplomatic offensive last month in a dozen European capitals to discuss a redeployment strategy expected to involve closing bases in western Europe and reflect a greater NATO focus on the east and south.

Poland, a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq, could see one of the biggest build-ups of U.S. forces in Europe on its territory, diplomats say.

Poland joined NATO along with the Czech Republic and Hungary in 1999 -- 10 years after they toppled communist rule and escaped from the former Soviet Union bloc. Seven more countries, mostly ex-Soviet satellites, will join the alliance this year.

Russia has expressed concern over any U.S. military moves closer to its border. But Washington has said any redeployment of troops to eastern Europe was intended to tackle new security threats and was in no way directed against Moscow.

Szmajdzinski declined, however, to confirm a newspaper report that American forces could take over an air base at Powidz, to the west of Warsaw.

[11th_VA]

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[MattinNJ]

Jan Slobieski bump for our staunch allies.

[snippy_about_it]

Good news for our good friends bump!!

[SolutionsOnly]

Good!

Open new bases in Poland. Close bases in Germany.

We are much better off supporting our friends than suffering our adversaries.

[11B3]

That air base is only about 100 miles from the old US Air Force station in Berlin (Templehoff). Not a huge step into the old Warsaw Pact, but a very important one outside of Germany.

The Poles will become better allies than the Brits even. And Poland will continue to grow westward in mentality while the rest of the "old Europe" continues is race to see who can become the Soviets again.

[11B3]

Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski......Can someone please sell this man a vowel? That region of the world has a glut of consonants.

[brbethke]

That's 'cause the Italians cornered the European market on vowels.

[SAMWolf]

I hope this works out, I think it's a win-win for both Poland and the US.

[m1-lightning]

Sea Story (Poland)In 1998, my ship (part of NATO command) pulled into a harbor in Poland. When everyone went on liberty that first night, including the ship from the other countries, we managed to find a popular large nightclub. I was only there for about 20 minutes when one of the black sailors was hitting on a Polish girl there. (So the story goes) Her boyfriend was also there and began arguing with the sailor. The sailor poured his drink on the girl's boyfriend and a fight ensued. The place started getting flooded with skinheads. There were about 30 of us from my ship and unknown how many from the other ships but the skinheads in joint populated to about 200 and started chanting something about America. I was spit on by one of them.

My friends and I mangaged to slip out of the place before the MP's showed up. We went to a local Pizza Hut and grabbed some beer. A few minutes later, some of the other sailors from our ship started showing up at the Pizza Hut as well. They said the fight got out of hand and the sailor that started it ended up getting a knife stuck in his calf. One of the Swedish sailors died as a result of a blow to the head from a CO2 bottle. I'm glad I left when I did. When I got back to the ship, there were a lot of badly beaten men sitting on the brow with the MPs waiting for the CO to show up.

I'm not exactly sure if this fight truly started the way I heard it did but I do know it was extremely supicious that these skinheads were just minutes away from the club and in such large numbers. It was as if they knew we would be there and were looking for a fight. My suspicion is that they were part of the "Hate Clinton Club" for our involvement with Kosovo. Who knows. One thing is for sure and that is the Polish certainly have their crowd of anti-American sentiment as well as Germany. The funny irony here is that the three times I went to Germany, we were warmly welcomed and were bouhgt beer on several occasions by the German locals.

[SolutionsOnly]

***"The sailor poured his drink on the girl's boyfriend and a fight ensued. "****

Sounds like he deserved the lession in etiquette to me.

[A. Pole]

My suspicion is that they were part of the "Hate Clinton Club" for our involvement with Kosovo. Who knows. One thing is for sure and that is the Polish certainly have their crowd of anti-American sentiment as well as Germany.

Hmm, how would an American react if a foreigner were "hitting on" his girlfriend and poured a drink on him? Called for support of his friends perhaps?

[Central_Floridian]

Nothing against Poland, but do we need bases there?

[A. Pole]

Nothing against Poland, but do we need bases there?

Yes, to protect Western Europe from Byelarus threat, or maybe from Lituanian one. :)

[m1-lightning]

Hmm, how would an American react if a foreigner were "hitting on" his girlfriend and poured a drink on him? Called for support of his friends perhaps?

I agree. I'd be ticked off too. I just think it's a little supicious that they arrive so quickly and in such large numbers. An American would more than likely have about ten friends max and they would take quite a long time to get there.

[SAMWolf]

Lots of Poles took it for a personal insult and humiliation - 79% to 19% (2% undecided)!!!

Heck I take it as an insult! If anyone should be fingerprinted is the Islamic Republic of france!! I wonder who made that stupid ass decision.

[DoctorMichael]

Bump.