Posted on 01/11/2009 11:05:42 AM PST by lizol
Poland should not be afraid of Russophobia jibes, says president
Created: 11.01.2009 11:00
A strong alliance with the US is the only way to protect Poland from threats from the east, says President Lech Kaczynski.
As president-elect Barack Obama prepares to take over the White House the President of Poland appealed for a continuation of the anti-missile shield agreement, which would see 10 interceptor rockets being placed in northern Poland. Obama is known to have reservations about the system.
But though the anti-missile shield is important, President Kaczynski, in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, warned that Russia, which he sees as the main threat to peace in the region, needs to be shown that Poland is firmly in alliance with Washington in order for its security to be assured.
"I know [the missiles] are not a shield that would protect us from any attack," said President Kaczynski. “Russia can attack anytime, which has been recently shown in Georgia." He emphasized that the shield shows Poland is keeping close ties to the U.S. and this is the main reason for his support for it.
Kaczynski said that Poland should not be afraid to present its views on Russia's policy.
"Poland does not need to fear being accused of Russiaphobia in the European Union, because it will be accused of it anyway," he said.
President Kaczynski’s stance towards Moscow has been noticeably more hawkish that the government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk and he criticized Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, a possible candidate for a secretary general of NATO, for his stand on the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, where Sikorski argues for Poland to be an “honest broker” between the two countries.
Kaczynski implied that the government‘s more conciliatory stand towards Moscow is part of the long running dispute between himself and Prime Minister Tusk: "If [Sikorski] is talking about impartiality concerning the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, I can only explain it by his personal dislike towards the president…"
A phobia is an IRrational fear or hatred. Poland’s fear is rational, and hence cannot be a phobia.
A phobia is an IRrational fear or hatred. Poland’s fear is rational, and hence cannot be a phobia.
Unfortunately, it looks like Obama will not install the NMD system, and at the least he will share the technology with Russia and China.
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.