Poland Links Bid For U.S. Aid to Presence in Iraq

Washington Post ^ | December 10, 2005 | Bradley Graham

[jb6]

Money Sought to Modernize Forces

By Bradley Graham Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, December 10, 2005; Page A13

Poland has asked for additional U.S. military assistance to modernize its own forces as it considers whether to extend the presence of Polish troops in Iraq next year, according to Polish and U.S. officials.

Although Warsaw has stopped short of conditioning its Iraq decision on the request for aid, it has made it clear that the two are linked, saying the $600 million it has spent on the Iraq operation has siphoned funds from plans to upgrade its own military.

Polish Defense Minister Radoslaw Sikorski made the request this week. (Ludmila Mitrega - AP)

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[Cheapskate]

The Poles are actually being good allies.

I have no problem with helping out actual friends.

[SJSAMPLE]

Yep.
My elderly neighbor provides the snowblower and gas and I take care of the driveways.

Even among friends, a certain amount of contractual behavior is necessary (and beneficial).

[loreldan]

Give it to 'em. Reward our friends.

[Grzegorz 246]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[kaiser80]

The article you have posted slightly suggest that Poland blakmailes USA and want some money...Some freepers have, as we can see, nothing wrong with that. You haven't expected such replies, now have you? ;)

[stocksthatgoup]

More Assertions and Half Truths!
Yes Poland wants aid.
Yes We want Polands assistance.
Good friends help each other!
That does not mean either one is dependent on the other.

[x5452]

It's a fair request.

[paul51]

We do more for worse allies.

[dfwgator]

Considering the Poles got the Marshall Stalin Plan instead of The Marshall Plan after WWII, I think it's a small drop in the bucket for all of their contributions to Allied Victory in WWII.

[jb6]

Total failure, Mr Aldrich Aims! Total failure, Mr Russia lover! Poland is the staunchest US ally this won't be changed by your pathetic efforts to slander Poland's name all over the world. Read this, Mr pathetic jb6!

Hay paranoid racist, go chew on your own arse. Article came up I posted it. You slander the Russians with almost every word that boils out of your hate infested heart. You should know all about slander.

[Grzegorz 246]

First of all It's about compensation of costs in Iraq. In my opinion this is a farce that we hadn't negotiated at least compensations of costs before soldiers were sent, but I blame our stupid government.

[kaiser80]

I don't agree with that approach. After all, we wanted to contribute not to be hired by US. Those money we asked I do consider as an INVESTMENT of US, so that they could count on us in every situation. You know, our cargo planes, our fighters, armored vehicles etc...

[Malesherbes]

To Vox PL: Well said.

[kaiser80]

Hay paranoid racist, go chew on your own arse. Article came up I posted it. You slander the Russians with almost every word that boils out of your hate infested heart. You should know all about slander.

You know, I know and everyboty knows that it's not about an separate article but about your selection and attitude. Anytime something negative comes up about Poland or, just recentyly, about free Ukraine, we can be sure jb6 is the one who will post it.

I understand that in this case you are frustrated and you call my fellow countryman Vox_pl a racist. lol

Anybody who knows a history of Polish-American, Russian-American and Polish-Russian relations knows who can be trusted.

[dfwgator]

It does sadden me that I think the US takes Poland for granted, and I also realize that because of the fact that Poland is more religious than most countries, our liberals have a disdain for Poland.

[Grzegorz 246]

If you want to be such a virgin in international relations then go for It, but without me.

"Either we support America with all means we can give, we give our weaponry for our own money or we just send our soldiers there for US money like dishonored guns for hire!"

The problem is that our weaponary is often older than most of soldiers.

"We would dishonor our own Army!!!"

Yawn.


"Naturally, a military support of much more wealthy USA is warm welcome, but"

But we won't get anything except those few 40 years old C-130s until we start seriously talking with US about our own interests. Life is cruel.

[Grzegorz 246]

"Those money we asked I do consider as an INVESTMENT of US, so that they could count on us in every situation."

But they don't want to invest in us :(