U.S. Offers Military Upgrade Support to Poland

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday said his administration would support Poland’s military modernization effort, an offer widely seen as linked to U.S. efforts to deploy missile interceptors on Polish territory, the Washington Post reported (see GSN, March 3).

The recently installed Polish government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk has pressed for access to U.S. air defenses and help in refurbishing its military as part of any missile shield deal.

In a joint address delivered at the White House with Tusk, Bush sought to assuage Polish concerns about its aging defenses.

“Mr. Prime Minister, before my watch is over, we will have assessed those needs and come up with a modernization plan that's concrete and tangible,” Bush said.

Tusk said he and Bush “came to a conclusion … that the missile defense system and the modernization of the Polish forces … come in one package.”  Bush and his aides “understand quite clearly our expectations,” he added.

Warsaw has looked into acquiring U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability air defenses, but it was unclear what systems the deal would include.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino refused to characterize Bush’s offer as a missile defense bargain, instead saying the United States would help Poland because it is a NATO member.  “It's certainly not a quid pro quo because, as we would with any ally, we would help them modernize a different part of their defense system,” she said.

The plan, though, seemed to move the two nations closer to a deal on the 10 missile interceptors.  Warsaw has been more reticent about the U.S. plan for Europe than the Czech Republic, where the Bush administration wants to deploy an early warning radar.

Julianne Smith, head of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that no deal has yet been finalized.

“We've gotten past the impasse and started the engines again,” she said.  “It doesn't mean we've got all the details settled, but both sides are moving again” (Peter Baker, Washington Post, March 11).

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