Poland Seeks To Sooth Fears About Base

PM Tells Worried Residents Near Defense Site They'll Be Safer, Despite Russian Threats

(CBS/AP)  Poland's prime minister sought to reassure worried residents near the site of a planned U.S. missile defense base on Friday, pledging that they and the country would be more secure, despite threats from an angry Russia.

Before facing residents at a town hall meeting in the city of Slupsk, Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the former Polish air base in Redzikowo - just 115 miles from Russia's westernmost edge - that is to host the facility.

"In case of war, Redzikowo and Slupsk will be more secure than other places, and not less secure," Tusk told reporters.

Still, some people in Slupsk - a city of 100,000 about 3 miles away - needed more convincing.

One person at the three-hour meeting in a theater could be heard shouting that "you condemned Redzikowo and Slupsk to annihilation like Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

Tusk countered that "from the point of view of Poland's interests, we will be strategically more secure."

"I am the last person to seek conflict with our neighbors, but as prime minister I must not leave Poland defenseless," said Tusk

whose calm approach gradually quieted what started as a heated gathering. He added that Poland's current security systems are "meager."

Poland and the United States reached a deal earlier this month on building the site for 10 U.S. missile defense interceptors by 2012.

The U.S. says the installation is meant to protect Europe and America from attacks from Iran. But Russian officials say they consider the site a threat and have threatened to attack Poland - possibly even with nuclear weapons.

As part of the deal, the U.S. will establish a battery of Patriot missiles at an undetermined location in Poland, a security boost Warsaw demanded in light of fears over Russia.

Moscow's threats come after Russian forces invaded Georgia and occupied that nation's breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, despite an international outcry against violating Georgia's recognized borders. A South Ossetian official said Friday that Russia now plans to absorb the province. Some fear that the presence of U.S. missiles makes Poland the next Russian target.

City councilor Bronislaw Nowak asked Tusk: "Can you deny that, having the shield base, Redzikowo will be target No.1 for countries that don't agree with it?"

The premier replied that America's investment in the site guaranteed it would be well protected in the unlikely event of a conflict.

Asked why he was so trustful of the U.S., Tusk replied that "I prefer to have here American troops rather than Soviet troops."

The remark - a reference to four decades of Soviet domination before communism ended in Poland in 1989 - drew applause.

In addition to the security concerns, some residents worry that the missile defense site will hamper economic development in an area with 20 percent unemployment. Previous plans called for turning the air base into a civilian airport to boost local business.

Tusk said the Americans are planning to invest some $300 million in the base. The economic outlook "depends on you how well you are able to seize that opportunity," he said.

He pledged to upgrade poor local roads and invest in education in the region.

Tusk already has told local authorities that the U.S. base would create construction jobs and new businesses needed to support the 500 American troops expected to man the facility.

The base belonged to Germany during World War II, and Nazi bombers took off from it to attack Poland.

From 1952, it housed the 28th regiment of the Polish air force. Its fighters were the first from Poland to take part in NATO exercises, in the 1990s.

In 1999, the regiment was disbanded and the site was turned into a standby base with just 200 air force and civilian employees, compared to some 850 previously. The 1.5-mile runway and 28 hangars are idle.

Washington plans to put a radar tracking system in the Czech Republic that would work with the Polish site. The plans still require approval from both countries' parliaments.

[Thomas1016]

Russia would have a legitimate complaint if the U.S. was putting 10 offensive missiles in Poland however they are not. If Russia wants to put 10 ABM missiles in Cuba I see no problem with that. And I doubt the U.S. Government would as well.

[samsel3]

The truth is, this is all about control of oil & gas pipelines. The BTC oil pipeline in South Ossetia & the Nabucco natural gas pipeline in NW Georgia supply markets in the European Union. In November 2003 the World Bank funded the BTC pipeline to circumvent Russian pipelines supplying europe.

Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, ConocoPhillips & Amerada Hess.

Russia is the second largest supplier of oil & gas on the planet.
After loosing Iraqi oil to Operation Iraqi Freedom, they negotiated supplies with Iran. The Russians were not happy with Cheneys BTC pipeline or the Caspian Sea Pipelines project going through Afghanistan. This threatens their economy based on oil & gas.

Again it''s the Bush administrations lust for money in World markets for their BIG OIL buddies

[kuei12]

" America''s investment in the site guaranteed it would be well protected in the unlikely event of a conflict"

You might want to ask Georgia about that. LOL
The us invested and trained and prodded the Georgians to attack South Osetia and when Russia stomped on them bush was where? Oh that''s right...vacation...again. LOL.
There''s got to be a reaaly good Polish joke in here somewhere.

[ramos937]

Did the Poles not learn something from the Georgia Affair? We did not send troops to defend Georgia even though we gave them reason to think we would.

As to us - The Cuban missile crisis was not that long ago. We stationed missiles pointed towards Russia during the last days of the Esenihower Administration. Krusheve retaliated by placing missiles in Cuba pointed towards the USA. In secret, Kennedy removed the Turkish missiles and Russia removed its Cuban missiles. We came dangeriously close to a nuclear war nobody really wanted. De Ja Vu over again.

[edintex]

The Pols should not concern themselves with what Russia wants. They were invaded and occupied for decades by those blood thisty Russians, until they could not afford to hold it together any more.

Poland is NOT the same country they were even 20 years ago. They are much stronger and not willing to live in Rissian occupation again. Unlike Georgia, I think the Pols would fight to the very last man woman and child before giving in to the weanie Russians.

I''m sure the U.S. would be side by side with the Pols too. Either that or the U.S. will give the Pols tons of stinger and hellfire missiles which sent the Russians crying to their homes after Afghanistan. Thats the price the Russians paid for helping North vietnam. Boo-hooooo Russian commies... Hehe

[vranger]

Well, moron, the missiles in question are defensive ABMs. The only legitimate complaint Russia could have about them is if they plan to shoot offensive missiles at other countries.

Obviously Russia still feels a little territorial about its former Eastern Bloc vassal states, and is miffed that they are all now eager to be friends and allies of the USA, and harbor resentment against their former uninvited rulers.

For the slack jawed lemming touting Bush''s unpopularity ... that is a direct result of DNC propaganda stuffed down our throats daily now for years by cooperating media. We won the war in Iraq in days. What followed was a partisan effort, similar to what Russia suffered in Afghanistan. Note that Russia never solved their problem, and had to leave with their tails between their legs. Governments in places like Columbia, Sri Lanka, Greece, Spain and Great Britain fought their own battles against insurgencies for decades without making any real headway. The insurgency in Iraq is all but settled after a few short years, with remaining violence coming now from imported terrorists, who are also now being rooted out and stomped out.

[guadalcanal3]

Russia has a legitimate beef...How would we like it if Russia were putting missles in Cuba?...or Mexico?...or Venezuela?..Why is it o.k to support the seperatist movement in Kosovo (which is thousands of miles from the U.S.A) but ''not'' okay for Russia to support seperatists that are on their border? (and who want to be with Russia)..All of these kind of actions make our Government look like a bunch of hypocritcal,adolescent, idiots. The last thing we need is another cold war with Russia...Maybe Russia should start supporting Alaska to seperate from the U.S.A. and become a Russian province...after all...it was theirs to begin with.

[ozonmojo]

Nothing is more safe and secure than life under a dictatorship like that of the former Soviet Union.There is a kind of human being that prefers that kind of life.

[lochlan-2009]

How exactly do you tell your citizens that this system is good because it will make us a target for Russia, and a pawn piece for destruction in the chess game between the superpowers?

[underdogus87]

The bottom line is: should Poland compromise her safety just to appease a trigger-happy president who, in a final act of aggression, may decide to launch another misguided assault in the Middle East? The answer is obvious, and the consequences potentially disastrous.

[underdogus87]

Jumping into bed with the most unpopular American president in history with a few months left in office is akin to walking over a minefield. What if Tusk was to submit to his demands, and the victor of the U.S. presidential run-off in November re-assessed America''s foreign policy and decided to abandon the missile shield plans? Poland would have succeeded only in antagonising the Russians, provoking others, and, equipped with archaic military technology, left to bear the consequences that collaboration with Bush entails - while he suns himself on a tropical island with his pal Tony.

[underdogus87]

Wherever George Bush struts, controversy follows. Our favourite chest-bumping, frat-boy President, who had hoped an agreement would be reached regarding his missile shield, has been left with a bitter taste in his mouth; a combination of dissent and disobedience being a flavour he is not accustomed to. "There are no permanent allies, only permanent interests." Lord Palmerston''s dictum should be kept in mind by Polish politicians during the debate about American plans to install a missile defence system in Eastern Europe

[samsel3]

The truth is, this is all about control of oil & gas pipelines. The BTC oil pipeline in South Ossetia & the Nabucco natural gas pipeline in NW Georgia supply markets in the European Union. In November 2003 the World Bank funded the BTC pipeline to circumvent Russian pipelines supplying europe.

Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, ConocoPhillips & Amerada Hess.
Russia is the second largest supplier of oil & gas on the planet.

After loosing Iraqi oil to Operation Iraqi Freedom, they negotiated supplies with Iran. The Russians were not happy with Cheneys BTC pipeline or the Caspian Sea Pipelines project going through Afghanistan. This threatens their economy based on oil & gas.

Again it''s the Bush administrations lust for money in World markets for their BIG OIL buddies

[chalres-2009]

tapsettle Bill Clinton said it

[tapsettle]

"the world is much more impressed by the power of America''s example than the example of American power" Anyone know who said that (without looking it up)?

[tapsettle]

The US think that by throwing their military arsenal around the world they will impress the vulnerable countries. What they are doing is making them even more vulnerable. If Putin warns he will retaliate, he will retaliate. The US and Polish politicians are playing dangerous games with people lives, never their own though.

[airboatboy]

Come on Poland! You just got ya a new big ol'' shiny bulls-eye! Hey, we''ll be there for ya to clean up the mess...

[fnewton1]

"In case of war, Redzikowo and Slupsk will be more secure than other places, and not less secure," Tusk told reporters.

This moron, in trying to prove how loyal he is to his masters, does not realize that conditions of war and destabilization have been greatly enhanced all around the world with kind of decisions.

[andrew_693]

"Tusk already has told local authorities that the U.S. base would create construction jobs and new businesses needed to support the 500 American troops expected to man the facility."


well when the germans opened concentration camps it also created jobs for a lot for the locals, not to mention when they opened their race quota for joining the waffen ss, I guess they call selling your soul to the devil progress. Unfortunately, the germans and russians didn''t finish exterminating that country full of rats.

[cdfoxtrot2]

This is LOL funny. Finally, the people that will live near this so-called "defense shield" have come to realize that their sorry a$$es will be the first to go, in the event of a conflict with Russia. Too bad they didn''t kick up a fuss BEFORE the deal got inked.