Poles and Americans agree on anti-missile shield

(B2) The conflict in Ossetia-Georgia will have made at least one person happy: the American anti-missile shield. It may well be deployed in Poland (a first agreement having been obtained with the Czech Republic in July). After several procrastinations, and negotiations which experienced ups and downs for several months, the United States finally agreed to install a battery of medium-range “Patriot” missiles, as requested by the Poles, and to participate in the modernization of their army. A battery would be installed quickly - supported by the Americans. Several others (we are talking about five in total) would be installed later. The question of the financing of this second phase does not seem clear, the Poles being able to support part of it.

The objective is
this time very clear : it is - as an American expert from MIT explains in the Polish press - also about being able to destroy Russian missiles. U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, John Rood, was in Warsaw on Wednesday to finalize the agreement directly with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski - Deputy Minister Waszczykowski, previously in charge of negotiations, having been dismissed because he was deemed too close to President Lech Kaczynski.

On the Russian side, we are thinking about the reply. Mention is made in the Russian press, for example, of the deployment of Russian Iskander missiles in Belarus, or even in Kalilingrad. A rather dangerous climb. The Russian ambassador to NATO, Vladimir Rogozine, whom I had met in the spring, had been very clear when I had questioned him on the question. With his outspokenness and his
nationalist provocative side that characterize him, he explained: if he is installed, "We will have to install in our turn a device against these anti-missile systems. We would have no problem to fire on the Czech Republic and Poland". And to specify, there directly in French (the conversation took place through a Russian interpreter from the embassy), ... in case I misunderstood...: "First shoot and attack. This whole American system is a provocation. It's a stupid project."

(NGV)

(Photo credit: Us dpt of State)