US-Poland missile shield deal
Fazal Hakeem
US and Poland signed a missile shield deal on 19 August, 2008 after 18
months tough negotiations. US Secretary of State defended the deal by
stating that “ this will help us to deal with the new threats of 21st
Century, of long range missile threats from countries like Iran or from
North Korea ”. US says that missile defense deal of course is aimed at
no one and in any way at Russia . US plans to base 10 interceptor
missiles in Poland -Plus a radar facility in the neighboring Czech
Republic between 2011-2013. Poland with an area of 312,683 square
kilometers (about the size of New Mexico ) and Czech Republic are NATO
members since 1999. The US missile shield is already in US Greenland and
Britain . The deal is inked at the time of heightened tension between US
and NATO and with Moscow over Russia ’s conflict with pro-western
Georgia . It also wants to have the NATO membership but Germany is
reluctant to back Georgian bid as the former attaches great significance
to its relationship with Moscow , its major energy supplier.
Russia considers the missile shield as a security threat designed to
undermine Russia ’s nuclear deterrent. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
in his reaction stated that “ we will be forced to respond to this
adequately. The EU and US have been warned”. A week before the signing
of deal, Russian Deputy Chief of General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn had
warned that Poland was making itself a target” 100 per cent” by
participating program. Polish leadership have shrugged off Russian
concerns not to give in to any intimidations. Poland has rocky relations
with Moscow since the crumbling of Communist block in 1989 and joining
of NATO. Poland has become EU member on 1 May 2004. Polish President
Lech Kczynski has termed the missile shield deal, a sign of crucial
“strategic alliance” to defend western common values and principles. The
deal might put Poland at a Russian nuclear attack threat if one sees the
Russian battle with Georgia over the South Ossetia conflict by sending
waves of jitters through former Warsaw pact countries. The EU which
relies for quarter of its oil and gas on Russia , could divide over
Russian strategy. Russian action in South Ossetia and Georgia reaction
and its appeal for help to US and EU countries is indicative that the
once former Soviet empire can be rebuilt. Russia claims the breakaway
regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as its “compatriots” where most of
the population have been issued with Russian passports.After Georgia ,
Ukraine , Moldova and Czech are fearing being the next targets. Again
there are talks of “reaction of Iron curtain”.
The purpose of former Warsaw pact countries to become NATO and EU
members is to find a safe haven. Ground realities show that already
embroiled EU and US could done little to protect Georgia from the
Russian wrath. As per reports, Poland considers US a most reliable ally,
far more trustworthy than EU important member countries like France and
Germany . Polish leadership had provided US unqualified support on Iraq
and Afghan wars. Then US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had even
talked of old and new European allies after western countries expressed
reservations on US Iraq and Afghanistan strategy. Poland had proposed to
US to give three Patriots or THAAD missiles and had also sought
commitment “to coming each other’s aid in case of attack and one a
timetable more expedient than provided by NATO”. Feeling in Polish
society are going high considering US support vital to Poland ’s
security. Signing of the missile shield pact is viewed a launching pad
of cementing the alliance, shifting a balance of powers and a turning
point in European dynamics. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during
visit to Washington in March this year was assured by Bush
Administration to help Poland in modernization of its military as an
ally not as a protégé. According to a report, Poland had identified 17
areas of its military the US could help upgrade. The Polish military
continues to restructure and to modernize its equipment . Poland
military forces have served in both Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Poland with 38.2 million
population has 98% literacy rate is an amalgamated society of Polish,
Germany , Ukrainian, Byelorussian and Lithuanian. Changes since 1989
have redrawn the map of Central Europe and Poland has had to forge
relationships with seven new neighbors and signed friendship treaties
after the collapse of Warsaw pact. It has forged special relationship
with Lithuania and particularly Ukraine in an effort to firmly anchor
these states to the West. Russia and US/EU relationships are in a state
no hate and no love. In addition to US-Poland deal, two sides are at a
daggers drawn state due to Russian action in South Ossetia in Georgia .
The action against Georgia has led to halting of Russia-NATO military
cooperation. The White House has warned there could be no Russian-NATO
military cooperation till the crisis in Georgia has been resolved. NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had already tied NATO / US usual
business with Russian troops in Georgia . The normal joint NATO-Russian
military activities include training and exercises, military logistical
cooperation, missile defense activities naval cooperation, military
exchanges and search and rescues at sea. In early July this year, Russia
had threatened to react with “military resources”, if a US anti-missile
shield was set up near its borders, after signing of a deal to base US
tracking radar station on Czech soil. During G-8summit in Japan in early
July, Russia and US Presidents had clashed over missile defense during
their face to face meeting. Analysts see Russian fear not only a
potential long term threat to their own nuclear deterrent and security
of their air space but also associate the shield with NATO’s prospective
enlargement to include the former Soviet states of Ukraine and Georgia.
The US and Poland have established diplomatic relations with the newly
formed Polish Republic in 1919. After Gomulka came to power in 1956,
relations with US began to improve. In 1960s, Polish policy was
unquestioning support for Soviet foreign policy. Since 1989 both US and
Poland are enjoying warm bilateral relations. Every Polish government
has been a strong supporter of US continued military and economic
presence in Europe . Poland also supported US anti terror drive. Poland
closely cooperates with American diplomacy on such issues as democracy,
nuclear proliferation, human rights, regional cooperation in Central and
Eastern Europe , and UN reforms.
Through out the 1990s, the US and other Western countries supported the
growth of free enterprise economy. It helped in reduction of foreign
debt burden by providing economic aid and lowering trade barriers.
Though the world heard of more visionary and constructive approach to
relations between Russian and US/EU . Ground realities show that the US
missile shield system at the doorsteps of former Soviet borders and
further expansion of NATO would further estrange the two sides if one
sees the Russian reaction to latest US-Poland missile shield deal and
latter’s approach to former’s intervention in Southern Ossetia. |
