Polish President's Plane Crashes in Russia - No Survivors

Another crisis for Europe? Just what we needed.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and his entire entourage of Polish officials perished as his plane went down while attempting to land in western Russia, reportedly in "bad weather". Kaczynski was headed to Russia to commemorate the massacre of Polish soldiers by the Soviet Union during World War II.

The President was one of the Kaczynski twins... somewhat known as political rock stars in Europe. A huge number of Polish officials were on the flight. Luckily the Polish Prime Minister traveled to Russia for ceremonies earlier in the week and was on a different plane, part of a different delegation. But much of the government of a major European Country has just been lost in one incident.

This will be a developing story throughout the day and into next week. A huge story in Europe for sure.

Tensions may rise as the two Countries - Russia & Poland - generally don't get along. Kaczynski was considered pro-U.S. (perhaps too much so), but was disliked by the Russian government. So this could muddy relations between Russia & Poland, between Russia & the U.S., and between Russia & The West (NATO/EU). It could be a setback to what little progress has been made in relations between the U.S. & Russia and between Russia & Poland.

Poland is part of the geo-political chess board of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus where the U.S. and Russia are still fighting the Cold War, battling for influence and dominance (no the Cold War never really ended unfortunately...have been very annoyed by the fact that Obama has decided to keep it going). Other parts of that active chess board include the Czech Republic, Georgia, Ukraine, Kosovo, and Kyrgyzstan - another Country in chaos that the U.S. wants to maintain a footprint in...even though we shouldn't be there (recent events prove my point for why we should avoid these unstable Countries). The argument that the U.S. needs an airbase in Kyrgyzstan to support operations in Afghanistan is completely bogus. It's nonsense. The U.S. presence in and around these Countries has been more destabilizing than helpful. It has been destabilizing for the Countries, for the regions, for Europe & Central Asia, and for the world.

It would make more sense for Russia to hand the investigation over to a third party commission.... or any neutral party... such as the EU, OSCE, or the UN. I don't know if the people of Poland will accept anything that the Russians say.

Additional Report from Sky News

But I Thought Hillary Clinton Pushed the Reset Button?

Here's why Hillary Clinton's meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was part of an empty photo op... just like I said it was. The "reset button" was one of the dumbest gimmicks I have ever seen from a Senior U.S. official. I knew there was something pretty symbolic about Clinton getting the translation completely wrong. (also see report from the UK Times).

Just like I stated a few days ago... it will take more than gimmicks and empty photo ops to change the situation between the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. will have to decide to make real substantive changes in its foreign policy if it wants to get back on track. Unfortunately, Obama doesn't seem to understand the situation with Russia...at all. He is getting horrible advice from the Cold War relics that he has surrounded himself with. He is allowing the hawks in his administration (and just about all are Democratic Hawks... I also like to call them "Neo-Con Lite") to run his foreign policy regarding China, Russia, the Middle East, and other hot spots. And he's going to find himself in a situation where many of his domestic ambitions will have to be canceled or watered down due to misguided policy abroad. The U.S. can't afford an arms race or another major conflict, yet Obama is leading the Country down a road that will lead to one or both of those two outcomes. He is continuing many Bush Administration policies that were already leading to an arms race in Europe.

I don't think Americans will begin to pay attention to this until something major happens or until they see how Obama's right wing foreign policy will impact their domestic programs. At some point they will see that Obama's foreign policy is not much different from that of Bush & Cheney. Then they will take notice. But unfortunately it will take a couple of years before people start paying attention.

And the Russians are looking at more than just an arms race and strengthening their nuclear weapons arsenal... they are also considering basing their strategic bombers in Cuba and Venezuela. To put that into perspective.... the U.S.S.R. didn't even have long range bombers in the Caribbean during the Cold War period. In public statements, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen and Obama officials are saying that this would be no big deal. But in their private meetings they are worried about these developments.



In terms of Cuba.... it's Obama's own fault for not taking advantage of the rapid changes in that Country. If the U.S. doesn't fill the void, and doesn't take advantage of business and tourism opportunities there, then the Cubans will seek support elsewhere. And that's exactly what they are doing...while the Obama Administration sits on its hands. The Europeans have already been putting more investment into Cuba. Now the Russians and the Chinese are making more connections to the island....all while the U.S. has stood by and has failed to establish a comprehensive, sensible, robust policy towards Cuba. Raul Castro has made it clear that he wanted to take his Country in a new direction and signaled that he wanted to revamp the broken economy. He also signaled that he might be open to political reforms. Cuba should have been one of the first Countries that Obama visited as President... but the U.S. hasn't even sent a high level figure to the Country. That was a signal to Raul Castro that he probably wasn't going to see much "change" from the new U.S. President. Now we are seeing some of the consequences from those failings (which started under the Bush Administration long ago).

Much of this is bluster on the part of the Russians to hit back at the U.S. for meddling in Russia's back yard - instigating conflict with Georgia and establishing bases throughout the Caucus's. The Russians are also upset (and rightfully so) about NATO expansion...which is now out of control. But the Russians could and likely will go ahead with this strategy if NATO is expanded any further east, and if Obama goes ahead with placing Missiles in Poland (and it looks like Neo-Con Lite Inc. has convinced him to go forward with this suicidal policy which, by the way, won't improve anyone's safety and security). They don't want you to know this...but the Polish and the Czech public ...and most of the people in the EU were against this missile plan from the beginning. European leaders never allowed this issue to to be voted on by the people in a referendum... because it would have been soundly defeated. The public is still against this move because they rightfully fear that it will lead to an unnecessary Cold War situation, will spark an unnecessary arms race, and will reverse all the the gains made over the last 20 years in the realm of East-West relations.

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Related article from the New York Times

Georgia & Russia Conflict and Missile Defense In Europe

More on the Georgia - Russia crisis and the Missile Defense Deal with Poland, from PRI. Check Audio Report. The lunacy of U.S. Foreign policy in Europe is unbelievable.

As I have stated on this blog numerous times, the expansion of NATO (the growth of Empire) and the fanatical drive to place missile interceptors in former Warsaw Pact territory makes absolutely no sense.... not militarily, not economically, and not politically.

More from NPR

U.S. Missile Defense Plan Still On

Defense Secretary Robert Gates Says U.S. Missile Defense plans are still on despite Russian objections. NATO has also announced that it accepts the Missile Shield for Europe (they are the typical lackeys for the U.S.).

But Do the People of Poland and the Czech Republic Accept it? No. Why Can't The People of Poland and the Czech Republic Vote on the matter? Why is the U.S. against allowing the people of those two countries to have their say at the ballot box?

I think the EU and the U.S. are being hypocritical. The U.S. is constantly touting Democracy in places like Albania, Georgia and the Ukraine....but then it turns around and prevents European citizens from having their say about a U.S. missile system being installed on their land. If this were allowed to go to a vote in these two countries, the plan would be soundly defeated....and European "leaders" know it.

I guess the same lack of Democracy that Americans experience here at home is being exported to Europe in this case.

Now we even have the N. Koreans responding to this missile defense plan.... Which could have a negative impact on the negotiations with that country. Negotiations have been held up by a "glitch" regarding the U.S. holding up its end of the deal.... unfreezing N. Korean funds. Everytime there is a breakthrough or near breakthrough in the N. Korea negotiations...there is always this convenient last minute "glitch" that pops up. I have written many times that the U.S. may not really want a negotiated solution regarding N. Korea. This would explain why the U.S. keeps sabotaging the "diplomacy".
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Previous Posts

Vaclav Klaus - The Newest Bush Poodle

U.S. Missile Defense Plan Damaging International Security

Russia To Target Europe