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Analysis: Poles, Czechs fear loss of bases
Poland and the Czech Republic enraged Russia by backing a U.S. plan to put missile bases in their countries.Now, as the Obama administration signals a willingness to reverse course ahead of a NATO defense ministers meeting starting Thursday, those two countries are fearful of being left out on a limb with their giant neighbor nursing a grudge. If Washington scraps the project, the decision will be seen by Eastern Europe long under the Soviet yoke as a major concession to Moscow and, quite possibly, a tacit acceptance of the view that Russia should have more say in its traditional sphere of influence. "A lot of people put a stake in this project and they will feel disappointed even betrayed" if it fails, said Andrzej Jodkowski, director of the Polish branch of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, a U.S.-based group that favors the shield. While missile defense is not on the agenda of the NATO meeting, it's certain to come up. Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich said Wednesday ahead of the alliance's gathering in Krakow that he was waiting "with great interest" on what U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates would have to say on the project. "We Poles are most interested in whether the commitments the U.S. signed with us last year the deal about a missile defense installation in Poland will be kept," Klich said. "I hope that will happen ... and that the installation will be placed in Poland." Too bad for the E. Euros a Marxist and an imperialist are leading the USA and Russia. Rest at link Posted by: ed 2009-02-18 |
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