Posted on 04/11/2010 3:16:42 PM PDT by kronos77
There is no such thing as a good death. Every tragic death is senseless and aimless. But today Poles can bring some sense to this unprecedented tragedy in their country's history.
For the last 70 years, the name Katyn had little resonance for most people in the west. It was also seen as a symbol of Russophobia on the part of Poles. Paradoxically, what happened on Saturday in Smolensk makes this notion obsolete.
Due to last weekend's tragedy, the killing of 22,000 Polish officers by Russians in 1940 will become common knowledge. We Poles do remember that, but because they wanted to keep Russia happy, its western allies chose not to challenge Russian propaganda blaming Germans for the Katyn massacre. Now, the truth will become widely known – and truth is the very first criterion of any reconciliation.
A second paradox is that the Russian reaction to the deaths – a crash that claimed the life not only of the Polish president, but of many senior government officials and the entire top brass of the military on their way to Katyn – is creating a unique situation. Authentic reconciliation between Poles and Russians, just like that of French and Germans under Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer, has now become possible.
Across Russia people are crying together with us today. And there are stunning, from our perspective, things happening in Russia as we speak. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talks about Soviet crime in Katyn. He bows his head for the victims alongside the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk. After the tragedy in Smolensk, Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, talks to the Polish people and declares Monday a day of national mourning in Russia.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Could be a World War Two style ploy for poland again? With American support for Poland Not the same as under Bush. Would Obama really care if its a Grab for power again? The Poles loved Bush when hardly anyone else did.
Unprecedented? Has this writer ever read any Polish history. This is tragic, for sure, but the Poles have seen far far worse.
They're a little overzealous with the syrupy propaganda. I'm sure there must be a rule somewhere in how long you're supposed to wait before spinning the more egregious acts of political treachery.
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