Poland in talks on hosting U.S. military bases

[NNN0LHI]

Remember when Poland used to allow the USSR to "host" their military bases there? What? We need military bases in Poland because some criminals knocked down our buildings on 9/11/01? I fail to see the connection. We have come full circle. Welcome to the USSA.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L08627513.htm

WARSAW, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Poland has launched negotiations with Washington on hosting U.S. military bases on its territory, Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said on Thursday.

"We expect the second round of consultations on the issue of bases early this year. It's too early to give any details," Szmajdzinski told the parliament's defence committee.

He added Poland was generally in favour of hosting the bases, but the issue of who would cover their operating costs remained open.

The United States began a diplomatic offensive last month in a dozen European capitals to discuss a redeployment strategy expected to involve closing bases in western Europe and reflect a greater NATO focus on the east and south.

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[montanacowboy]

1. Just another country

willing to take our money and do anything to get it - what's new?

[Baclava]

2. Woo-hoo

Polish Brides...now I don't have to all the way to Moscow

[lebkuchen]

3. Not only in Poland, but Romania and Bulgaria as well

Unit rotation, 6 mo - 1 year unaccompanied tours. Just what the Army needs: more time away from the family.

Former Asst. Sec. of Defense under Ronald Reagan, Lawrence Korb, wrote an excellent editorial opposed to this plan in the NY Times:

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/WarOnTerror/EastEurope.asp

The Pentagon is smitten with Romania. And Poland. And Bulgaria, too. The Defense Department is considering closing many, if not all, of its bases in Western Europe - which are primarily in Germany - and to shift its troops to spartan new sites in the former Soviet bloc.

<snip>

To move its forces to Eastern Europe the United States will still have to build bases or upgrade existing ones - these facilities, built in the Soviet era, are crumbling and out of date. Many have severe environmental problems like unexploded ordnance and toxic waste, including old chemical weapons.

<snip>

Some supporters of the plan also say that the move would save money because soldiers who have wives and children in Germany would not bring families along to the East. This is a poor argument on two grounds. For one, expensive new housing and schools would have to be built in the United States to accommodate the families and, more important, it would have a dreadful effect on morale.

Soldiers sent to Eastern Europe on a routine six-month deployment may well end up being deployed to the Middle East or Central Asia for extended periods, and could then be separated from their families for as long as 18 months. This would lower retention and thus substantially increase training costs.

[bemildred]

4. An attempt to "encircle" Russia.

Poland is still a bit spooked about past meddling by
the Russians, so most likely it will go along if we pay
for it. Russia will ignore the provocation whichever
way it goes, it is no real threat to them and they have
other things to do than play patty-cake with the neocons.