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.
Poland also wishes its former ‘glorious’ empire be restored; thus, needs American help to expand its present territory.
Or Poles indeed fear that their god [or jesus, mary] and Nato is not enough for them?
However its expansion would be at the cost of Belarus, Ukraine, possibly some of Lithuania and Kaliningrad. Major towns: Lviv, Kaunas(?).
That is probably not supported by the Trump administration.
And would Putin allow Poland to take Kaliningrad?
The net cost to the US of Poland bases would depend in part on where the forces come from. If they are re-deployments from more expensive bases, then it would not be that same cost.
The real “cost” is the in-your-face defiance of the US commitment not to do that, as perceived by Putin. He’s probably correct too, but what matters really is that he is clearly convinced. He was there, and he knows what he “knows” and has made that clear, as have some US participants.
US neocons thought the Georgia lunacy would be cost free. They thought another color revolution in Ukraine would go just like the last one, cost free. They have a track record of being very wrong about everything, but having the power to do it anyway. See Libya (and Hillary).
So how would Putin respond? Even he may not have figured that out yet, but we can bet it would work out worse for the US than our neocons imagine.
“They have a track record of being very wrong about everything, but having the power to do it anyway. See Libya (and Hillary).”
Very wrong and always ignoring the consequences-why worry, never ever an accountability for their war crimes.
This has got to go down in history as one of the dumbest decisions ever.
It’s simply not relevant to speak of “cost” or “money” anymore. These are just malleable terms without true meaning. The American debt is 21.2 Trillion and rising faster than ever. Banks create the money at the point of the loan. It is the banks who want Russia and it is the bankers who will be whisked away to far-flung locales, while fools die “fighting for their countries”.
Idiots …
The answer to the request by the American people who will end up footing the bill will tell you flat out NO! We are tired of our dollars and our kids being used to prop up all these dictatorships around the world without our agreeing to it. Time for the American people to stand up if our government is too much of a coward to say NO! We are tired of being the worlds piggy bank for our corrupt government in the USA as well as our DOD. Do an accounting of the military and the government, or don’t ask taxpayers for another dime until we get answers on WHERE IS OUR MONEY being spent?
It’s not your dollars. American taxpayers do not own the money, they are only forced to use it and borrow it. Federal Reserve Note denominated in “dollar” form. Rothschild, Bank of London owns the Federal Reserve. https://www.scribd.com/document/12866710/The-ownership-of-the-Federal-Reserve-as-exposed-by-Congressional-Committee-1976
What’s in it for the US, nothing,
watch,
Trump won’t do it.
Well, as long as they are being so “generous” to US militancy, maybe they could finance housing and services for veterens, a nice little community in Poland for our veterens.
I have only a little doubt that this “magnanimous” offer was not a spontaneous one but was a response to a suggestion made earlier by the Trump administration. This is vintage Trump. He does not want war with Russia. In fact he wants to penetrate Russia as a developer. So you threaten Russia with an armored division in Poland which can eventually be used as a bargaining chip for negotiations which are going to happen sooner or later.
I am a little surprised that Romania has not made a similar offer. It has a border not only with Moldava but, like Poland, with Ukraine plus it borders the Black Sea. Quite strategic.
Perhaps a Trump offer was made but Romania said no.