"Why Poland wants a U.S. military base" Topic

"On Wednesday, as President Obama visited Poland, the U.S. announced that it would be spending $1 USD billion to boost its military presence in Eastern Europe. It's a big step, but for some in Poland, it may not go quite far enough.

"For the first time since the Second World War, one European country has taken a province by force from another European country," Radoslaw Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, told the New York Times before Obama's visit. "America, we hope, has ways of reassuring us that we haven't even thought about. There are major bases in Britain, in Spain, in Portugal, in Greece, in Italy. Why not here?"

It's a big proposition. Poland does have a small U.S. military presence, which was recently boosted with the arrival of 300 U.S. airmen and a dozen F-16 fighters for joint exercises this year. A major U.S. military base would be a major step up, however, and may be seen as contravening a 1997 NATO-Russia partnership that prohibited bases in Eastern Europe…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Considering Russia on their doorstep, Polish history and the fact Britain, France and everyone else abandoned the Poles in WWII, I can understand their stance. The US is a bit better about protecting its allies. A major base draws a line that says back off.

Frankly I am tired of this nonsense. Draw a line and put a base there.

I think Russia already broke that treaty when they annexed the Crimea. What is a treaty but a pie crust meant to be broken?

I thought you meant the Poles were building a base here. I thought "Sure, why not? Maybe they'll protect us from Mexico."

Amen Augustus. Won't happen anytime soon but it would be the smart thing to do.

"I am speaking to you from the Cabinet Room at 10, Downing Street.

This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11.00 a.m. that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us.

I have to tell you that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.

Now I'm no historian……

But that doesn't sound like abandoning the Polish nation!

Now I'm no historian……

But that doesn't sound like abandoning the Polish nation!

There's that…

Except that the other half of Poland was invaded by another nation--and no one really did much to get that occupier to leave in a hurry.

Rob

To me it is simple. Britain and France honoured their obligation to Poland and went to war. We could have sat it out until we were attacked but didn't.

It's very true that "for your freedom and ours" was very hollow after Yalta and that's evidenced by people I work with who have Polish names because their grandfathers couldn't go home to a free Poland even after fighting for six years for it.

But it's equally true that in 1939, the USA's response to the Nazi invasion of Poland was……..Operation Precisely Nothing.

For the same reason every city in the US wants one $ MONEY $ and who would attack it?

Ron gets the prize ( it all started with agreement about NATOs non (expansion) (which strangely enough the US is a member of) its a game of chess and $$$. My hope if it all goes to hell its going to be Poles and Yanks going into it first this time and leave the rest of us to watch it all on Telly. M2cW again you break it you buy it.:/

There is a reason the time after the invasion of Poland was called the phony war. And by the way, the US did not the have a treaty obligation with Poland in '39.

As Ron and others have said, $$$ and if anyone (Russia ?!) attacks Poland, that is a de facto attack on the US forces stationed there …

Apparently filing paperwork in Britain means not abandoning the Poles. Not exactly sure how that worked, because Poland sat and fought on their own.

Boots on the ground is doing something. Paperwork is not.

The British army was rather small, not very well equipped. It's effect was limited in the early war period.

To get it to Poland the navy would have had to force the Skagerak, fight its way around Denmark, past the german fleet, with limited air cover. What ever ships had survived could land the troops. This route would then need to be held to allow re supply.

I wonder why that wasn't tried!

We did try something similar in Norway, that went well….

What exactly did Poland expect Britain to do?

Anything as outrageous as declare war on Germany, fight a long grueling campaign to destroy her armies and level her cities, and occupy Berlin?

Oh, wait: that's exactly what Britain did.

"But it's equally true that in 1939, the USA's response to the Nazi invasion of Poland was……..Operation Precisely Nothing."

What an ironic statement of foreign views of U.S. foreign policy.

Half the world criticises us for being too interventionist and aggressive in our foreign policy, and the other half criticises us for not getting involved soon enough.