France Sending Tanks to Poland to Counter Russia

[JustJohn or JJ]

France Sending Tanks to Poland to Counter Russia

Mon, Feb 2 |



January 30 (AP) - France is pledging tanks and armored vehicles to bolster NATO forces in Poland, where leaders are increasingly uneasy about Russia.

In a joint statement Friday after a meeting between French President Francois Hollande and Polish Prime Minister Eva Kopacz, the two governments also called for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has intensified between pro-Russia separatists and government troops.

NATO has no permanent presence in Eastern Europe but since last April members have been cycling forces and military equipment through the region in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine.

The French military equipment is expected to remain in Poland for two months.

[pieter]

Dear friends,

This is an historical action and message of France to Poland and Russia. In the past the French fought for the Poles and the Poles for the French.

Charles de Gaulle was with the staff of the French Military Mission to Poland as an instructor of Poland's infantry during its war with Communist Russia (1919–1921). He distinguished himself in operations near the River Zbrucz and won a high Polish military decoration.

I hope that today France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, the USA, Great Britain and other EU and NATO allies will build up a protective shield at Poland's and the Baltic States border of modern anti-missile defense systems like the Iron Dome, Patriots and others.
And that these countries will send enough tanks, infantry, F-16's and other military units to assist the Polish and Lithuanian armies to secure the Polish and Lithuanian territory, which is NATO and EU territoty.

Cheers,
Pieter

[pieter]

It is important to have a permanent presence of NATO forces in Poland and the Baltic states like the presence of the American, British, Dutch and French army during the cold war in Germany. Dutch tanks were in Germany to support the Bundeswehr in the case of a Warsaw Pact attack! The same we should do for Poland and the Baltic States today. A permanent presence of NATO forces in Poland. The local economy always profits from the presence of foreign military bases. Soldiers and officers go to Polish supermarkets, restaurants, stores and shopping malls.

Polish soldiers, officers, pilots and generals fought for the liberation of Italy (Monte Casino), France (Normandy), Belgium and the Netherlands (the city of Breda was liberated by the Poles and the Poles contributed to Market Garden in September 1944) and the defeat of Nazi Germany in Germany (the Polish forces that fought alongside the Red army at the Eastern Front). Today it is time that those Italians, French, Belgians and Dutch do something in return. Unfortunately people forget about the past and younger generations are more indifferent than the older ones. They simply don't know what happened back than and thus also don't know the dangers of today. There is again an 'Eastern Front' in Ulraine today with tank battles, rockets, mortars, bombardements and civilian suffering. History repeats itself, but not as black and white as in the past. The invaders come from the East this time.

Cheers,
Pieter

[karl]

With full agreement with Pieter, also do my self. For although these as in response to request by Polish government for assistance with military presence by fellow EU members. With this, is the exercise in coordination between the various military commanders with such complexities as: Logistics for support in all phases of: Equipment fuel/spares/food/clothing/field equipment of troop support/housing/medical/generating equipment/transport.

With such diversity of various Armies will come the issues in communication. This entails such things as correct frequencies in radio communications/coordination of/tactics/central directives/matter of central command centre.

It is not enough to assemble a multiforce military with each alone to contribute to the whole. For doing so would in self create a mob of confusion that only would/will end in defeat by most any enemy.

For as above, the military on loan must be correct for the climate and terrain as embarked to fight on.

For as most any military has only one purpose, and that is the act of war. With this, the primary reason of war, is a continuation of diplomacy upon a different plain. Once the act of war is concluded, then it is a return to diplomatic relations with representatives of each respective nation.

Karl

[pieter]

Russia might infiltrate and slowly recapture the Baltic states, their 'former' Sovjet territory and Czaristic lands, but they will never ever occupy Poland again.

They know that if they occupy Poland they have a problem with Polands Western allies and Polish armed resistance.
They will face Guerrilla warfare in Poland. And a new Armia Krajowa will make life miserable for Russian soldiers and officers. Poles won't accept a third occupation. Not even the Polish communists accepted a Russian (read Sovjet) occupation in communist times.

During the fifties the Soviet leadership viewed the economical and social reforms of the Gomułka administration in Poland with alarm. Gomułka came to power after he was released from prison when the Stalinist era (1944-1956) was over. He gave in to demands of Polish workers after a bloody workers rebellion in Poznan (with dozens of dead). Simultaneously with Soviet troop movements deep into Poland, a high-level Soviet delegation flew to Warsaw. It was led by Nikita Khrushchev and included Mikoyan, Bulganin, Molotov, Kaganovich, Marshal Konev and others. Ochab and Gomułka made it clear that Polish forces would resist if Soviet troops advanced, but reassured the Soviets that the reforms were internal matters and that Poland had no intention of abandoning the communist bloc or its treaties with the Soviet Union. The Soviets yielded.

Today rightwing and leftwing Poles would resist a Russian occupation.

Cheers,
Pieter