Radek Sikorski, Poland's former deputy minister for defense and for foreign affairs, writes today about the strong relationship between Poland and the U.S., as well as Poland's strengths in peacekeeping.
Poles believe that with wise statesmanship, Europe can acquire greater influence not by opposing the U.S., but by cooperating with America in endeavors that are evidently in Europe's best interest, such as the democratization of the Arab world. If Europe's political coherence and military forces were to grow in harmony with America's strategic aims, we could restore the West's sense of common mission.Unusual as it may seem, this vision is shared by Poles of most political parties and ideologies. There is enough here, in short, to merit talk of a closer alliance between Poland and the U.S.
We know our army is a fraction the size of the American one, but then so is everybody else's. We know our economy is still recovering from half a century of communism. But it isn't economic support that the U.S. needs. Poland shares America's values, Poland shares America's geopolitical goals. With the Polish air force soon to fly F-16s, and some U.S. military bases moving East, co-operation over Iraq may prove to have been the beginning of, as they say in the movies, a beautiful relationship.
via OpinionJournal
Posted by Alan at May 30, 2003 07:41 PM