Posted on 08/16/2008 3:00:28 PM PDT by lizol
Poland’s President not afraid of Russia
Created: 16.08.2008 10:39
Despite aggressive rhetoric coming out of Moscow, President Lech Kaczynski thinks the West is stronger than Russia and can and must stand up to it.
Russia’s anger with Warsaw for its strong support of Georgia in the war over South Ossetia grew on Thursday evening when the Polish government announced that it had signed a preliminary agreement with Washington to house ten interceptor rockets on its soil as part of the US antimissile shield in Europe.
An American garrison is also to be hosted in northern Poland by 2012.
On Friday morning, a prominent figure in the Russian armed forces appeared to threaten Poland with a nuclear strike: “By deploying [the antimissile shield] Poland is exposing itself to a strike - 100%," said Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn.
President Kaczynski stressed in a television interview, on Friday - Army Day in Poland, a national holiday commemorating Poland’s victory over the Soviet army in 1920 - that Russia is an important country on the international arena, but the times when Russians could decide the fate of others are over.
"The reality is dangerous and we must avert this danger, even by taking risks," the president commented on Poland's involvement in solving the Russian-Georgian conflict.
Lech Kaczynski stressed that the West, including the US, has all the instruments to stop Russia; it is only a question of wanting to use them, according to the head of state. He also said that the European Union has many non-military ways to influence Russia at its disposal. According to him, it is all about convincing Russia that it cannot dictate conditions to democratic and independent countries.
Lech Kaczynski said that the leaders of Poland, Estonia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia are trying to convince the US to cooperate in their campaign to support Georgia.
According President Kaczynski, the Russian-Georgian conflict convinced the Polish government to sign the agreement on deploying elements of the US antimissile shield in Poland.
On Friday, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cancelled a visit to Poland after the successful conclusion to the anti-missile shield talks with the US, and Warsaw's support for Georgia.
“What the heck...they can only whack our army officer corps once, right?”
Mad Madam Mim only makes rules so she can break them.
Poland was the first country to stand up to the Soviets last time. They are TOUGH!
They say it constantly.
Given what I know about the Polish and their military from what I have heard from our troops in Iraq, I think they would clean the Russian’s clock if they tried to start anything.
God Bless Poland.
Poland is the canary in the European coalmine.
They are singing a song of defiance towards Russia. The rest of the world should follow suit.
Interesting analogy. I wish it were so, but I am not holding my breath for Europe.
60 years later and nothing has changed. Whoops did I just say “change”.
At least Poland put up a fight against the Nazis. The French surrendered without a shot.
Poland will do it again.
What else is new.
If the French didn’t help America with a Naval blockade 230 years ago they would only be good for making fun of.
Where is the UN and NATO?
Russia would be stupid to shoot them down. However, if they were being cautious, they would fly to Turkey and go by car or train.
France did not surrender without firing a shot. They fielded over 100 division and took 360,000 casualties. In the midst of the German invasion, Mussolini got jealous and tried to seize the territories of Savoy and Nice ceded to France in 1859. On June 10th, 32 Italian divisions invaded, facing 3 French division. The Italians took a few thousand casualties, for a few miles.
I didn’t know that. Thanks. Viva la resistance!
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