Posted on 11/17/2005 1:13:40 AM PST by twinself
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. and Polish officials are discussing building a base in Poland from which U.S. interceptors could shoot down long-range missiles as part of a global defence network, a Pentagon official said Wednesday.
It would be the first American strategic missile defence site outside U.S. territory, and would be designed to defend all of Europe against intercontinental-range missiles - primarily those launched from the Middle East.
No decision has been made to proceed with a missile defence base in Poland and alternative sites in Europe are a possibility. But the Pentagon official said Poland appears to be the most likely host country for the kind of American military installation that would have been unthinkable before Poland joined NATO in 1999.
The official discussed the matter only on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
The Pentagon has made no public announcement of its discussions with Polish officials, although it has made known its extensive consultations in recent years with NATO allies on the threat posed by ballistic missiles.
On Monday, Poland's new prime minister, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, said he was opening a public debate on whether to host a U.S. missile defence base.
He did not specifically say Washington was interested in installing ground-based interceptors of the sort that the Pentagon has recently installed in Alaska.
"This is an important issue for Poland, related to our security and to our co-operation with an important ally," Marcinkiewicz said.
He leads a new conservative government in Warsaw that took office on Oct. 31. The previous government had expressed concern that missile defence co-operation with Washington could harm relations with Russia, which had opposed Poland's decision to become a member of NATO.
The U.S. military has no permanent bases in Poland or other Central and Eastern European countries formerly aligned with the Soviet Union. The U.S. does have bases in former Soviet republics in Central Asia such as Kyrgyzstan.
U.S. officials have been discussing with new NATO members Romania and Bulgaria the possibility of basing some U.S. troops there as part of a repositioning of U.S. forces around the world.
U.S. officials have been considering a number of possibilities for extending the American missile defence network to include Europe, although most of the focus has been on defences against short-range missiles.
Long-range missiles are considered an emerging threat, in the view of Bush administration officials, because of the proliferation of technologies that would allow countries such as Iran and possibly Syria or Libya to build extended-range missiles. The threat is especially worrisome when coupled with nuclear warheads.
The current U.S. defence system against long-range missiles is limited mainly to an installation at Fort Greely, Alaska, where at least six missile interceptors are in underground silos, linked to a command and control system. It is designed mainly to shoot down missiles fired at U.S. territory from North Korea, with future expansion planned.
The Pentagon official who discussed the Polish option said that if a missile defence base were built there, it probably would be the only one needed to defend Europe against long-range missiles, although radars, other sensors and interceptors designed to combat shorter range missiles also would be needed for a complete defence.
The official estimated that a site in Poland would not be ready to begin operating before 2010. He offered no estimate on how much it might cost or when U.S. officials were likely to make a decision to proceed. Also undetermined is whether the site would be controlled jointly by U.S. and Polish forces or possibly with a NATO role.
This issue prevents from agreeing with you.
Moreover Poland would haven't refused Kiev in 1920 and possibly much more. But I don't think the discussion will be fruitful in any way.
"joined Hitler" = adjusting the border to encompass a small area of land, on the order of the Sacramento metro area! AGITPROP on your part! Shame on you!
Gary based on your photo from 35 or so years ago on your profile page it would appear that you are no behemoth, albeit a man of slight build who is also very strong. Don't go here ... bashing people about what you think their physical characteristics may or may not be. I think if we all posted current photos it might raise an eyebrow or two. People may be shocked, for example, to find that I am large but trim and more or less fit, and look years younger than my biological age (which is "fortysomething"). Not some fat slob or some wimpy little geek.
Does the size change anything?
Ha. Than Comrade Stalin was the best.
Was he? I didn't know that :-)
In area of territory/influence expanding if we return to the original topic.
Ukrainians and Belorussians. As for the USSR it asked noone's permission.
Their main problem is islamist bandits who prevent them from living peaceful and working lives.
A war is like a marriage: the nature of it depend on both the both sides. If the both are gentlemen the war will be civilised if we can refer to a war with such name, but if one side is barbaric you should correct you manners.
"This is F A R beyond my Christian dignity to hold my peace when schools, kindergartens and hospitals are bombarded truly the barbarian way."
and
"If need be, I'd fight thousands of Atas, Osamas or so, but I will never shoot children, drop bombs on schools, etc. Is this so hard to understand?"
And you are sure that the Russians choose to attack children, schools and hospitals? I don't believe they make that choice. It is made for them by the Muslims who hide behind the innocent, even their own.
The world you depict in the sentence above is very black and white - Western.
Unfortunately the Muslim world is nothing like it. They use women and children as shields, they use schools, Mosques, hospitals and ambulances as cover. They throw Western morality into ambiguity, and count on people like yourself to blame the West and the "colonizers" for their own atrocities.
Lenin called those defenders of fascist actions "useful idiots." Indeed the Muslims make good use of such confused morality turning legitimate defense into self-loathing.
I perfectly understand you. I wish a few others here did as well.
RE: There is a difference between a talker, a showdog, and a shooter.
A good saying. I'll have to remember that one!
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