Poland's defence minister: no shield if U.S. condi

[Jaga]

Poland will not allow the United States to install an anti-missile shield on its territory if it does not agree with the conditions the U.S. administration places on its construction, Polish Defence Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said on Friday.

"If the U.S. side's conditions prove unacceptable, there will be no shield. However, it does not mean that this shield will be built regardless of the outcome of the talks. Our American friends must realize that this will most certainly not be the case," Polish PAP news agency quoted Szczyglo as saying.

Polish negotiators at the ongoing shield talks in Prague voiced " disappointment" with the U.S. offer, particularly with suggestions that Poland should participate in the installation costs, Polish daily Rzeczpospolita reported.

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Friday that he "had no knowledge" of Poland participating in the shield costs, and the matter could "drag the media into some kind of dangerous game."

On Jan. 20, the United States proposed the installing parts of its anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move strongly opposed by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier that the project could trigger a new arms race.

The United States said the shield is designed to intercept rockets fired against it from the Middle or Far East.

Source: Xinhua

english.people.com.cn/200706/02/eng20070602_380172.html

[bescheid]

It would so appear of some unresolved issues on this as time proceeds to final negotiations. Whilst on the surface, the issue appears to be money. Who is to foot for who monies for cost of installation of this proposed missile shield.

The foot in the door so to speak, was the US Governments considerable gracious provision of military weapons to Poland under very favourable economic conditions of repayment. Also that of providing assistance in the Iraq war of Polish military.

Now, the time has arriven for shared cost of this proposed missile system for the intended protection of who exactly? Will this protect Europe from an imagined attack?

For in this scenario, let us regress for only a moment in time in the regards of that of Russia. From the lessons of the past war, one of the requirements of Russian military strategy, is a absolute requirement of this: The Russian resolve of no more, no more of a foreign military to be allowed upon the Russian home land.

The wall between Russian and Western Europe is Poland. For this is the buffer land within the Russian mind set that must be maintained at all cost.

If this may sound silly, then our memories are rather that of short. Think back to the cold war years, and the occupation not only that of the Eastern sector of Germany, but, that also of Poland. For the re-occupation of Poland is not that out of reach in a non-offensive manner. It is only a matter of mutual lateral agreement with use of a vehecle of common concern.

Charles