By Jason Ditz
Poland has long expressed interest in securing a permanent deployment of foreign troops from a NATO member nation. The Polish Defense Ministry has confirmed that they are willing to pay the US up to $2 billion if it is an American base.
Defense Ministry officials say that there is a “clear and present need” for Poland to have a permanent US armored division in their country, and that they are willing to help defray the cost of deployment with the money. They say this will make the deployment more “cost effective.”
In reality Poland, like most developing countries, sees a US base as both a guarantee of more US military support, and an economic boon for the surrounding area. They seem to be assuming that President Trump’s long insistence that NATO nations pay a “fair share” will make him amenable to this proposal.
But in practice, the US will lose out in the long run. Foreign bases generally cost the US in the range of $200 million annually above and beyond the cost of domestic hosting. The $2 billion would defray building costs, but ultimately the US will be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars extra annually.
By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo
Image credit: Anthony Freda Art
Close down our ungrateful germany bases and move our european bases to poland and czech republic. I worked with poles and czechs in afghanistan and they were very motivated to do their part. I was stationed in Italy and trained in Germany and both countries don’t respect us whatsoever.
Just get out of Europe and go home. You neocon tools have no business over here.
Poles and Czechs doing “their part” in Afghanistan? Their part for neocon Washington’s empire. A bloody shame. People can respect Americans, but without losing one’s integrity one can not respect US militarism and apologists for the destructive neocon geopolitical agenda.
I actually believe Iraq was a complete waste and Afghanistan could have been done with a six month special ops campaign without occupation. I am however a realist and understand we will have military in Europe for a long time unless we get something like a rand paul presidency. Therefore I believe if we have bases in Europe they should be in places like Poland and Czech republic because they appreciate freedom more after the fall of the warsaw pact. And it is apparent if you have a conversation with them.
I guess the headline miss lead me. I thought Poland wanted to build a military base in the US and was offering us 2 billion to do that. Me bad. LOL
Part of Brzezinskis’ plan for the NWO..???