TIME TO GET ARMED
WOJCIECH DUDKIEWICZ
An announcement of higher expenditures on the army next year is a good move but not sufficient. The Polish army is small, weak and badly-equipped.
A question about the state of the Polish army appears only when the international situation is getting severe. It was so, when Russia made an invasion onto Georgia, later onto Kremlin, and also now, when aggression against Ukraine is being done. Whereas in Baltic countries there are prepared bases making increased presence of NATO armies possible, Estonia is purchasing areas bordering with Russia, Lithuania is giving instructions for citizens, how to behave in the case of an invasion – in Poland very little is said about the danger.
Gen. Roman Polko, an expert for defence admits that our army would not be able to refute an attack of Russia because no army, beside the army of the USA, is able to do it, but he emphasizes that the Polish army should not be evaluated without consideration of NATO structures and relations with the USA, giving us a guarantee of safety. – The Polish army is able to refute an attack as long as NATO armies help us – he says.
With this help – which was shown by the uncertain attitude of the West in relation to the aggression against Ukraine – it may be, however, different. Therefore, hoping for this help, we must get armed ourselves – experts emphasize – creating a situation that aggression will not be profitable for the aggressor. The announcement of Ewa Kopacz that expenditures on the country defence would rise and be not less than 2 per cent of the GDP, which is to be by about 800 million zlotys more, is a move towards a good direction, but not sufficient, because the situation in the army is bad.
We lack means for air defence. Air and missile attacks would be difficult for us, and even impossible to refute. We do not have anti-missile systems, and anti-aircraft systems are outdated – says prof. Romuald Szeremietiew, the former vice-chief of the National Defence Ministry and calls for quick reforms. Plans of increasing expenditures on the army – which are to guarantee financial stability and allow for creating projects of army modernization – do not guarantee, in his opinion, our safety. – I appeal, as long as we have time: let’s build a military system which will be effective enough, in order to discourage Russia from attacking Poland. We can afford building this system – prof. Szeremietiew says.
AA
„Niedziela” 9/2015