Polish leader: War costs slow army's modernization

[unhappycamper]

Polish leader: War costs slow army's modernization
By SLOBODAN LEKIC, Associated Press Writer Slobodan Lekic, Associated Press Writer – Wed Sep 1, 1:28 pm ET

BRUSSELS – Poland's president said Wednesday the rising cost of the war in Afghanistan is hampering a program to modernize the military.

Bronislaw Komorowski reiterated that Poland remains committed to the NATO-led war effort in Afghanistan, but also called on the allies to set an exit strategy for the military campaign there.

Poland spends some $1 billion annually — or about 10 percent of its defense budgets — to finance its 2,600-member contingent that serves in Afghanistan. This comes at a time when the 100,000-strong Polish armed forces are in the midst of a wide-ranging program designed to replace aging Soviet-made equipment.

"The costs of out-of-area operations are so significant, that they are having an effect on the process of technical modernization of the armed forces," Komorowski said after a meeting with NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The program includes the purchase of new armored personnel carriers and multiple-rocket launchers for the army, corvettes for the navy, and unmanned drones and C-130 Hercules transport planes for the air force.



unhappycamper comment: $1 billion dollars is slightly over three days in the sandbox for the United States. The easiest thing for you to do, Mr. Komorowski, is bring them home. Then you can afford all the fancy blood-soaked war technology you desire.

[Sherman A1]

1. life is full of choices......

They could choose to bring the troops home and then buy their new toys or simply do both as we seem to always find the means to do, while screwing the working class and soon the Seniors.