Posted on 02/23/2008 12:59:51 PM PST by Grzegorz 246
WARSAW, Poland - Poland will only sign up to accept a U.S. missile defence base if Washington gives significant help to modernizing Poland's military, the Polish defence minister said in comments published Saturday.
"As long as we cannot sign an agreement about a satisfactory contribution by the Americans to the modernization of our armed forces, we can't talk about our agreeing to an American installation on our territory," Bogdan Klich was quoted as saying in an interview with the daily Polska.
Washington wants to place 10 missile defence interceptors in Poland and a radar system in neighbouring Czech Republic as part of a global system it says is necessary to protect the United States and Europe against future attacks from Iran.
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said in Washington three weeks ago that Poland and the United States had reached an agreement in principle after he received assurances of U.S. help for Poland's short-to medium-range air defences.
The two sides did not elaborate, and it remained unclear whether the United States had made specific promises to provide air defence systems. Polish officials have pressed for Patriot or THAAD missiles.
Klich reiterated that Poland's main expectations concerning U.S. aid are tied to air defence, but added that Warsaw has also identified 17 areas where its military needs an upgrade.
"I believe that in this range of possibilities the Americans have a chance to find somewhere" to help, Klich was quoted as saying. Negotiations on the missile shield site and the eventual U.S. role in strengthening Poland's military continue and "must end at the same time," he added.
He also acknowledged that new threats may emerge if Warsaw agrees to accept the 10 interceptors, but said Poland would benefit from being tied into the U.S. defence system.
"You don't generally mess with the strong, but the weak you can give a kick to," Klich was quoted as saying. "If you stand by the strong, it pays off. And that would be the positive result of the American presence in Poland."
Russia strongly opposes the prospect of U.S. installations in a region that it controlled during the Cold War and has threatened to attack the bases, causing deep anxiety in Poland.
The United States and Poland opened negotiations early last year on the base. Klich declined to give a date for a possible final deal.
A military partnership is one thing, but Poland sounds like they want a rather large amount of money, as well.
“A military partnership is one thing, but Poland sounds like they want a rather large amount of money, as well.”
That’s the game of barter and haggle. Start high and work toward reasonable.
Better to spend the money on Poland, than on Saudi Arabia.
How much of our treasure do we have to continue to give to the Europeans?
Build your own stinking missle shield.
Intercept the incoming warheads yourself.
Enough is enough.
Time to end NATO right now.
And get us the heck out of the UN.
I actually like the “mindset” they negotiate under. Pretty smart.
The question is...given their history of being lied to and trampled on, and the resulting distrust they have of everyone and everything, and our history of turning a deaf ear to some of our friends, depending on the politics of the Administration at the time, will they remain loyal and supportive of us through thick and thin?
Or will they become like the Turks, Italians, etc.?
And besides, Poland got jack squat at the end of WWII for all of her efforts during the war (the RAF, Monte Cassino....etc), so it’s a small price to pay for a true ally.
Grom !
Why are we offering Poland anything for this, when it’s goal would be to protect Europe? Why don’t we let Western European countries, which Poland would so much like to have a strong relationship with, convince Poland to do this voluntarily?
Ping!
If we are going to give away foreign aid I would rather give it to the Poles than the Palestians, Egyptians and Saudis.
make that “Palestinians”; (fat fingers today)
Poland was paying Russia for decades after WW2 for costs Russia said it accrued to liberate it. All the while Russia still occupied and controlled it. (thanks FDR)
Never going to happen. No US administration will do it and not now with a Russian military re-emergence.
Poland is fast becoming one of our best friends. This is certainly worth pursuing.
Germany got The Marshall Plan, Poland got the Marshall Stalin Plan.
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.