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2006-09-15 Afghanistan
Poland offers troops to boost NATO’s Afghan force
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Posted by Fred 2006-09-15 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 What do Rzeczpospolita Polska, Česká republika, România, Република България have in common?

One word. Allies in WOI. Okay, 5 then.
Posted by twobyfour 2006-09-15 00:37||   2006-09-15 00:37|| Front Page Top

#2 Bless you Poland. You are the only one to stand up.
Posted by newc">newc  2006-09-15 00:51||   2006-09-15 00:51|| Front Page Top

#3 yea, we wouldn't want the frenchies or germans in the distance, away from the battle, to feel any threat.
Posted by Captain America 2006-09-15 02:02||   2006-09-15 02:02|| Front Page Top

#4 There's a lot behind the story here. The Polish-German relationship has soured considerably since the conservatives took power in Poland and after the Germans "re-kindled" their relationship with Russia via the Baltic Sea gas pipeline (which will bypass Poland and allow Russia to put a squeeze on Poland, as they did to Ukraine).
The US is also offering some incentives in the form of a southern gas pipeline into Poland (in effect neutralizing Russia) in return for placing the ABM shield on Polish territory.

An ABM shield in Poland will surely piss-off Russia. The idiot Lukashenko is just to the east of the eastern Polish border. The EU is militarily weak, and are not exactly happy with their maverick Poland's antics. Do the math, apply quantum mechanics, and you can see why Poland is looking for a strong friend. One that can actually inflict damage (US) instead of just sending warm letters of condolence (EU), should the eventuality arise.

That said, this could prove to be a gamble for Poland. Like I said many times before, Poland is a row boat in the middle of the Atlantic heading towards America. Good idea? Time will tell.
(This reminds me of an 80's joke: A son asks his father, "So Dad, how far is this America anyway?" The father answers, "Stop talking so much and keep rowing".)
Posted by Rafael 2006-09-15 12:56||   2006-09-15 12:56|| Front Page Top

#5 Interesting timing with the article below on the "release" of 1,000 Taliban from Paki-waki land, eh? Could be we're finally gearing up for a slaughter when the "release" occurs?
Posted by BA 2006-09-15 13:44||   2006-09-15 13:44|| Front Page Top

#6 Do the math, apply quantum mechanics

Golly, I do love Rantburg!!
Posted by trailing wife 2006-09-15 13:46||   2006-09-15 13:46|| Front Page Top

#7 That said, the Polish people are not as enamoured of America as once they were, I've been told. A Polish girlfriend of mine went back to visit family for the first time since she left a decade ago, and says they are starting to sound like Western Europeans -- Bush is stupid, Americans throwing their weight around, all that vicious nonsense. Poland is fighting EU hegemony on too many fronts, perhaps. Much as she enjoyed showing off her Kurdish husband and two stunningly beautiful children, she was glad to come home to America, where more people understand the reality of the situation.
Posted by trailing wife 2006-09-15 13:57||   2006-09-15 13:57|| Front Page Top

#8 I don't understand why we are not putting incredible pressure on the Germans and French to put substantial forces into Afghanistan. These are the supposed two powers of Europe and yet they can do nothing. Each should have no less than 15,000 troops on the ground fighting. Or at least 5,000 apiece fighting and 10,000 apiece fixing stuff and making schitzel / croque madame.
Posted by remoteman 2006-09-15 14:19||   2006-09-15 14:19|| Front Page Top

#9 Interesting thoughts, Rafeal. I worry about Poland, they've been the jelly in many an imperial sandwich.

Remoteman, there's a simple reason: Mother Hubbard has been busy on the French and German militaries. While they have many men on the rolls, neither has any significant expeditionary capability. They simply can't get more than a regiment or two far away from home without tapping out their logistics and finances.

Both armies were rebuilt in the 50s and 60s, and especially with the Germans, to do one thing: stop the Soviet hordes. When the Cold War ended the Euros collectively said, "Hooray, we can stop spending money on our militaries", and pretty much that's what they did.

So we shouldn't look to the French or Germans for much, even if they wanted to help (which they don't really), because they don't have it.
Posted by Steve White">Steve White  2006-09-15 14:28||   2006-09-15 14:28|| Front Page Top

#10 That said, the Polish people are not as enamoured of America as once they were, I've been told.

That's true and it will get worse as more and more Poles get sick with EU fever (reports say 1 million Poles left Poland for work in western Europe). Last time I did some informal polling, it was roughly a 50/50 split. The standard of living will improve exponentially in Poland over the next few years, and this will be largely seen as a benefit of joining the EU. Score one for the EU.

Even among Poles capable of rational thought (read: those lacking the moonbat gene), the debate continues as to whether Poland's place is in Europe, rather than across the Atlantic.

The conservative coalition is fragile, and an early election can change Poland's stance altogether. And that's not even considering the divisions between the conservatives and the moonbat-prone ultra-conservatives within the government itself. See here for a good primer.

Otoh, Poland's relationship with the EU isn't (and won't be) entirley rosy either. Germany's economic partnering with Russia is indeed worrisome, as is the more recent Erica Steinbach debacle. The whole multi-cultural Europe thing is also being questioned in light of the foiled terrorist attacks, riots in France, etc. Poland has also suffered its share of casualties in Iraq, and there haven't been large protests demanding a pullout.

That's not to say all this will translate into more love for the US. But it will mean the Polish government will keep its options open...at least for now.
Posted by Rafael 2006-09-15 15:29||   2006-09-15 15:29|| Front Page Top

#11 Earlier I said: ...instead of just sending warm letters of condolence (EU),

In the interest of fairness and objectivity... I entirely forgot about France's declaration on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Weimar Triangle, that they would defend their allies with nuclear weapons, should the need arise. (Remember that?)

I don't recall Poland's response to this, if there ever was one...except that they didn't end up going to the summit. :-)
Posted by Rafael 2006-09-15 15:43||   2006-09-15 15:43|| Front Page Top

#12 Remoteman said I don't understand why we are not putting incredible pressure on the Germans and French to put substantial forces into Afghanistan.

answer: pressure + jelly = ?

The social arithmetic is left to the reader as an exercise.
Posted by Hupolunter Craiger5022 2006-09-15 16:28||   2006-09-15 16:28|| Front Page Top

#13 It's sad to read your comments, Rafael.

If Poland were to fully embrace capitalism and the US, shedding the EU nanny-state socialism and soft power BS, there's no substantive reason why they'd ever be anybody's "jelly" again.

France and Germany have ceded all advantages they ever held and have decided to enthusiastically become irrelevant voyeurs.

I don't see why Poland couldn't step into the gap and grow into an economic powerhouse, perhaps even a modern military powerhouse, if only they had the vision and the stones. Collaboration with the US would accelerate both rather dramatically. Certainly they have the potential, but if they've decided they must remain a patsy, a meal for the power-hungry, then so be it...
Posted by flyover 2006-09-15 16:39||   2006-09-15 16:39|| Front Page Top

#14 My take, flyover, is that Poland hasn't yet decided.
Posted by trailing wife 2006-09-15 16:45||   2006-09-15 16:45|| Front Page Top

#15 They joined the EU. That sealed it. Not that they had a choice.
Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-09-15 17:32||   2006-09-15 17:32|| Front Page Top

23:57 anon1
23:55 trailing wife
23:46 anon1
23:36 anon1
23:36 Rafael
23:32 DMFD
23:30 Swamp Blondie
23:26 trailing wife
23:24 macofromoc
23:24 tipper
23:20 anon1
23:19 Frank G
23:16 Frank G
23:15 anon1
23:15 Rafael
23:15 Zenster
23:13 Swamp Blondie
23:12 djohn66
23:11 Zenster
23:10 Zenster
23:08 Zenster
23:07 Bernardz
23:06 anon1
23:06 FOTSGreg









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