Poles demand missile shield against Russia
Ian Traynor
Poland and the Czech Republic are raising the ante in negotiations with the Americans, demanding missiles to deploy against Russia and security and legal guarantees in return for hosting elements of the US missile shield.
The missile defence programme is splitting Europe and igniting a new cold war-style clash with the Kremlin, and the demands from the central Europeans plunge the Pentagon project into greater uncertainty.
The negotiations, about extending the missile defence project from California and Alaska to Europe, are expected to be wound up before the end of the year. The Poles are insisting on US security guarantees and supplies of Patriot missiles to protect themselves against a perceived threat from Russia, while the Czechs are embroiled in discussions over how a US radar base south of Prague would be safeguarded and what's in it for the Czechs.
As Russia, in the words of a US official, delivers "bloodcurdling" threats in response to the Pentagon project in central Europe and unease spirals in Germany, there is also growing frustration in Warsaw and Prague with what is perceived as a high-handed approach by the US administration. "We want legal guarantees. I can't go into details but it is to do with how the base is protected and also about the base agreement," said a senior Czech official of the proposal for a radar base south-west of Prague. "Unfortunately the Americans could have done more to engage the Russians over the past year."
The Polish demands are more incendiary and are certain to confirm the Russian belief that in the long term the new US bases in central Europe are aimed at Russia. The US and Nato say such ideas are nonsense and that the 10 interceptor rockets to be stationed in Poland will be there to deter a missile attack from the Middle East, especially Iran.
The Poles are telling the Americans that they do not feel threatened by Iran, but they do feel vulnerable to Vladimir Putin's Russia and need to build up their defences. Patriots would help to protect Poland from short-range and medium-range missile attack from Russia.
If the Poles display their loyalty to the Americans by helping the US defend against attack from the Middle East, the Americans should beef up Polish defences against Russia, Warsaw argues.
The risk, say Russian and Polish experts, is that Poland could be turned into a "frontline state" against Russia. In two recent speeches, Mr Putin has delivered the strongest attacks of his seven-year presidency on the US, singling out the missile shield for criticism. US officials say they want to take the Polish security concerns into account, but are clearly wary of worsening the tension with Moscow by supplying Warsaw with missiles.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, echoed such anxieties yesterday. "We have to avoid purchasing security for some at the cost of creating new mistrust or even insecurity," he warned in a direct reference to the Polish-Russian dispute.
The Poles and the Czechs are frustrated at being taken for granted. Unless there is more in the deal for the host countries, such as jobs, money, contracts for local companies and legal guarantees governing the bases, they are telling the Americans, it will be difficult to get the agreement of their parliaments.
Original article posted here.
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2 comments:
The reality is that none of the democratic west will ever make a strike against Russia FIRST.
If Russia is afraid of the West having Defensive Missile basis it is because Russia is planning the FIRST strike.
The West would like Russia to join the the growing democratic nations who no longer threaten each other with War.
The Democratic West is more concerned with Human Rights and the maintenance of peace. There will never be any reason for the West to attack Russia unless Russia attacks first.
We are very sad to see Russia going back into a cold war status and we hope that sometime soon President Putin can make a friend of the West instead of trying to widen the Gap with 'War Talk'
I think that your comments reflect an ignorance of the purpose of "missile defense." The purpose of missile defense is to provide a FIRST STRIKE capability that can eliminate effective retaliation. And it is simply talking points and propaganda to use this talk of the "West" and Human Rights. Where is the West on human rights for Iraqis? Where was Germany when presented with massive evidence of war crimes by Donald Rumsfeld and others in the US administration? Sorry, it is not Russia that has gone back to a Cold War status, but is the threatening actions of the United States that has caused a GLOBAL realignment of nations to restore a balance when the "lone superpower" went out of control. Where do you think China is in this debate? Far more alongside Russia than with the West because China too knows that it is the subject for attack. Your position, sadly, is rather naive and reflects a lack of understanding of geopolitical manuevers. Putin may be antidemocratic is many ways, but he sadly is far more beneficial to Russians than the deceased darling of the West, Yeltsin who gave away Russia's riches, and wreaked economic havoc on an entire generation of Russians, sending millions of Russian girls to become prostitutes and slashing the life expectancy of the country. The West didn't mind at all, and encouraged it.
The bottom line is that the warmongering of the West in general and the United States in particular has greatly aided Russia's rise. The failed war in Iraq raised oil prices giving Russia and economic windfall. Embargoes on countries such as China, Venezuela and Iran allowed Russia defense industry to have unprecedented exports and investment. And the expenditure of NATO and US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have weakened the military capacities of both, extremely (and isn't ending soon). It is the West that has now made injected Russia with far more power than it had six years ago. So if you are one of the people wishing that Russia didn't start "threatening" the West then blame the United States. But please don't talk about human rights and the West in the same sentence. The "West" is torturing and killing FAR more people than Russians are just while I write this message. Problem is that they're little brown people who people, perhaps such as yourself, tend to ignore in the equation.
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