Lula: Getting Along with Our European Relations
Karolina Lula, op-ed columnist
Issue date: 2/20/06 Section: Opinion
On Feb. 9 Lech Kaczynski, the conservative president of Poland, visited President Bush in the White House. It was Kaczynski's first visit with Bush since he became president in December. Only a month ago, Angela Merckel, the newly-elected center-right chancellor of Germany, also met with Bush for the first time.
Now that the three allies are both headed by conservatives, what does this mean for American-European relations? The European arena looks very favorable to the United States. The more European countries compete with each other for our affection, the more allies we will have.
Bush recognized Poland as our friend in liberty. There is a powerful link between that country's end of communism in the late 1980s and U.S. policy in Iraq. Since Poland's liberation from communism, the country has been more willing to engage in perceived liberation of other nations. As a result, we see Poland stationing troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan and have commended the Multinational Division Central South in Iraq since September 2003. The country's troops helped train Iraqi forces and stabilize the south central part of the country.
Poland's geography lies between Germany and Russia on each side, and historically Poland has been unable to trust either one of her neighbors. Today, Poland is linked to Germany through the European Union and NATO.
But Germany, as Poland's closest neighbor, will have powerful influence over the country. For example, the Polish government views the establishment of the Center for Expulsion of Berlin as a perversion of history of World War II.
The center is a museum in memory of Germans forced to immigrate from Poland, rather than being a monument to suffering inflicted by the Nazis. "The Polish-German relations can't get any worse than they are already," said Erika Steinbach, the president of the Federation of Expellees.
Similarly, the relations with Russia have been strained. Poland's memory is still fresh with the Soviet control during the Cold War. Moscow, too, is displeased with Poland's backing of Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-Western president of Ukraine in the Orange Revolution a year ago. Needless to say, it is easy to understand why Poland needs allies in the West.
Now that the three allies are both headed by conservatives, what does this mean for American-European relations? The European arena looks very favorable to the United States. The more European countries compete with each other for our affection, the more allies we will have.
Bush recognized Poland as our friend in liberty. There is a powerful link between that country's end of communism in the late 1980s and U.S. policy in Iraq. Since Poland's liberation from communism, the country has been more willing to engage in perceived liberation of other nations. As a result, we see Poland stationing troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan and have commended the Multinational Division Central South in Iraq since September 2003. The country's troops helped train Iraqi forces and stabilize the south central part of the country.
Poland's geography lies between Germany and Russia on each side, and historically Poland has been unable to trust either one of her neighbors. Today, Poland is linked to Germany through the European Union and NATO.
But Germany, as Poland's closest neighbor, will have powerful influence over the country. For example, the Polish government views the establishment of the Center for Expulsion of Berlin as a perversion of history of World War II.
The center is a museum in memory of Germans forced to immigrate from Poland, rather than being a monument to suffering inflicted by the Nazis. "The Polish-German relations can't get any worse than they are already," said Erika Steinbach, the president of the Federation of Expellees.
Similarly, the relations with Russia have been strained. Poland's memory is still fresh with the Soviet control during the Cold War. Moscow, too, is displeased with Poland's backing of Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-Western president of Ukraine in the Orange Revolution a year ago. Needless to say, it is easy to understand why Poland needs allies in the West.