Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Poland: Who’s Next?

I know I'm not the only one who had a sick feeling in their stomach when it was announced that America and the West, excluding Germany, had lost a proven friend. The Polish president and most of his cabinet fell out of the sky.
This was both an uncanny coincidence and ironic:
Coincidence 1. that it happened over Russia.
Conicidence 2. that a proven experienced pilot chose to land when he was advised not to.
Ironic:as it occurred right as Poland was commemorating the Katyn massacre.

For those unfamiliar with Polish history, the Katyn massacre occurred in 1940 after Russia and Germany signed their non-aggression, Molotov-Ribbentrop, Pact, and divided Poland. The Nazis found the mass-graves in 1943, and attempted to use it as propaganda toll to besmirch their enemies -the allies. The Soviets blamed the death of over 20,000 Polish officers and elites on the Nazis. Despite overwhelming evidence that the Soviets were behind the massacre the allies accepted the canard for the sake of their coalition. That is until a 1990-1991 investigation by the Soviets revealed Soviet responsibility.

On the very day that Poland was commemorating the intentional massacre of its leadership it was stripped, accidentally, of its current leadership. Of course the sometimes savvy Russians were quick to extend their sincere condolences.

The bottom line is, however, that the Polish plane was filled by Polish leadership that was openly leery of Russia, and had openly supported and sided with the American/Western coalition in Eastern-Europe.

However Eastern Europe especially countries associated with the former Soviet -Union has been subject to a series of coincidences:

Russia was the first to recognize the opposition takeover of Kyrgyzstan. Interestingly, this opposition is pro-Russian whereas the ousted government led by Bakiyev, was western-oriented -he signed off on a pivotal American army-base used to launch operations in Afghanistan. Not insignificant is the fact that Kyrgyzstan is the only state that hosts army-bases from both of the former cold-war adversaries.

Then how can we forget Russia's invasion of Georgia on the pretext of defending the pro-Russian provinces of South-Ossetia and Abkhazia.

There are many other coincidences that seem inextricably tied to Georgia/Kyrgyzstan/Polish. For instance the resurgence of Chechen terrorism; who’s supporting them?

All of which makes it clearer that Russia has recovered from its post-Soviet pacifist malaise and is accelerating the recapture of what it perceives to be, its sphere of influence. Albeit using a lot more tact and strategy.

While it make take 50 years until the Russians officially take responsibility for the Polish incident, rest assured the west in its effort to get along with Russia on energy, Iran, and North Korea will accept the official narrative.

What is eminently important is to know who’s next?

The Unifying Factor: The Polish Embassador and the Political Conception of Love

On Monday December 7th the Polish Ambassador to the United States, Kupiecki, held-forth on Poland's state of affairs. Among the routine issues addressed where Poland-EU relations, how Poland is weathering the current global recession, and that Poland, as the 20th largest economy in the world (GDP) should be part of the G-20.

At the end the ambassador made some, rather, ambiguous comments regarding missile defense in Eastern Europe and the Obama administrations decision to renege on the agreement to station missile-bases in Poland. The ambassador simultaneously brushed off the American decision as a strategic swap of NATO resources (he wasn't specific, but instead of missile bases NATO would place something else in ), and at the same time reminded the audience that it was America who approached Poland in the first place. As such, the ambassadors argument went, it was not a rejection of Poland's interests, but a reversal of a request for a "favor".

Interestingly, the ambassador, reiterated how Poland continues to see America as a key strategic ally and friend. As evidence of that relationship, the ambassador reminded the audeince that Poland has provided military support in every conflict America has been in since the first Gulf-war. Moreover, he argued, Poland has sent another 1000 military personal to Afghanistan in addition to the 2000 already stationed there.

To the question, of whether the Polish-public viewed the American missile pull-back as the norm or the exception in American-Polish relations the ambassador vacillated, essentially arguing that either way this scenario was different from the past. This because it was America who requested military installations and it was America that "reoriented' its position.

While the ambassador didn't indicate that there was any link between the additional soldiers and missile defense restructuring in Poland, it seems that there may be a connection. The real question, is whether Poland sees it as a positive or negative development .

On one hand, Poland may appreciate the fact that America needs to get along with the Russians, a relationship strained by missile defense, and sees the value in an America that can influence Russia, in Poland's favor.
Alternatively, it may be that Poland sent a message to Washington that "we love you whatever you do, look, here are more soldiers"!

Which goes back to the notion of loving one "like" one loves themselves, this time ,on the national level. "Like", because that other is separate in perception but not in reality.
If Poland understands its love of America as contributing to Poland's welfare than this may be another small indication of a globe moving towards a more sustainable unity. A unity premised on the acknowledgment that to love the other is to really love the self.