Posted on 05/04/2008 10:02:44 AM PDT by Dawnsblood
For many months the US felt that, “We want to help protect you from the threat in the Near East, and you are still holding out your palm for more money,” in relation to previous Polish actions to the US. Yet, when many months passed and the uncle from the West was not persuading their little Polish brother, the Americas began to change their tone. It suddenly became evident to the US that the Polish requests for financial and military help were justified. This was undoubtedly a success of Polish diplomacy.
The important issue now is that success be achieved. It seems that the Polish side always has the same problem that it had at the beginning of negotiations—it doesn’t know exactly what it wants and whether it can really trust the Americans. Washington is clearly inclined to have a framed agreement signed that would determine the terms and scale of help it can give in order for Poland to agree to the missile shield, but would leave the methods of help to be determined in the future. This solution seems favorable for Poland because it isn’t very specific and who’s to say Patriot aircraft would be better than military technology or intelligence information. This can be determined in the future when the need arises. The problem is that this agreement requires that one side completely trust the other.
Hence, the time for finalizing an agreement is dwindling. The fall will bring many political changes in the US, specifically the election for the White House and Congress, and the end of the year will bring the concluding days of the Bush administration. If there is no agreement before then, nothing may come of all this. If this happens, our relations with Washington will not last much longer.
(Excerpt) Read more at watchingamerica.com ...
” If there is no agreement before then, nothing may come of all this.”
I don’t think the agreement would be worth anything if Obama is elected. There’s no way he would do anything to defend Poland, or any U.S. ally for that matter.
I am somewhat reminded of the ‘80s when Reagan determined to neutralize the Warsaw Pact SS 20 nuclear theater weapons. Did the small “theatre” state, Federal Republic of Germany go through a political upheaval in accepting the Pershing II and Tomahawks? Yes. Did they try to shake down Uncle Sam for Billion dollar bribes? Of course not.
Did they try to shake down Uncle Sam for Billion dollar bribes? Of course not.
Functional states ultimately act in their own best future interests. Liberiem Veto redux.
100% agreed
Are you actually in Austria?
yes i live in the city of graz in austria
“it doesn’t know exactly what it wants”
$20 billion...
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