It’s a horrible shock. And there is an ironic aspect to the tragedy which oughtn’t be ignored. Poland’s leadership was decapitated while they were en route to mourn the Katyn massacre. That of course was a decapitation strike by the Russians against what was the natural non-Communist leadership of post-war Poland.
Apropos of nothing, here’s an interesting read.
It’s no tragedy. Kaczynski was a rabid anti-Semite.
Whenever a NATO ally, like Poland loses much of its leadership to a disaster, we should ponder the repercussions.
When I saw this headline I thought INSTANTLY: “how convenient for Russia!”
Too bad it will beinvestigated by the Russians. We will never know the truth.
The coincidence of the tragedy is almost too much for words or belief.
There are so many different perspectives on reality (see the above comment) that I can only be grateful for and subscribe to that which concerns the full reality, and that is eternal.
But yes, indeed, this situation is not without precedent, even from supposed friends, nevermind enemies.
The world seems to be sliding back to a totalist mindset that prevailed during the 20th Century, but with 21st Century trimmings and enablement.
David Satter’s article is good.
I have to wonder who decided that so many high ranking Polish government officials should be on the same plane, flying over Russian territory. I suppose someone thought they were saving money or time or something and if they were flying over Germany or France or the US, I could see it, but Russia?
Now I may have been unfair to Lech Kaczynski even to the point of Lashon HaRa. After all as the modern day EU diplomat he assured the Brooklyn Bridge Investment Society (I mean the ADL) that despite the rantings of his closest friends and associates that there really really was no more anti-Semitism in Poland than there was homosexuality in Iran.
Dear Steve – you clearly know nothing about Kaczynski. I wasn’t a fan of his politics, But calling him an anti-semite is way over the line. KAczynski reached out to Poland’s Jewish community and worked with Poland’s Chief Rabbi, Michael Schudrich. Whatever his utterances in Warsaw, he signed all EU treaties, and Poland more than ever integrated into Europe.the Polish nation lost the finest representatives of the government, the high commandors of the army, the president of the National bank of Poland, 15 members of Parliamnet, senators and many many other distinguished citizens. ….Steve- you should be ashamed of yourself for posting such comments. what happened on saturday is a great and undeserved tragedy.
This is one instance, with rather close links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wladyslaw_Sikorski
m:
Kaczynski’s closest friends and supporters have made rabid anti-Semitic comments and fomented anti-Semitism. For instance Kaczinski defended Fr. Tadeusz Rydzyk against a threat of dismissal by Cardinal Dziwisz due to Rydzyk’s fomenting anti-Semitism. Rydzyk is the founding director of Radio Maryja which is Poland’s analogue to Father Charles Caughlan. When the rabid anti-Semite Cardinal Josef Glemp was appointed Archbishop, Kaczynski applauded. Kaczynski had no qualms about appearing at any function with Glemp.
Kaczynski was head of the right-wing nationalist Law and Justice party. He actually made a statement that Poles should exterminate Gays like Hitler exterminated Jews – not the sort of guy who would never want the Holocaust be repeated again. Kacznski’s coalition partners were even more rabidly anti_Semitic.
When Kazynski went to an Anti-Defamation League meeting in New York he said there was no anti-Semitism in Poland (rather like Amadinejad saying there was no homosexuality in Iran) whereas we both know there is plenty of anti-Semitism in Poland even if there are hardly any Jews left to hate. If he truly had goodwill he would have admitted the truth of Poland’s history of anti-Semitism. He’s the new smooth sort of anti-Semite who twists the facts.
Visiting a synagogue and making nice nice is no guarantee of goodwill – the Pope did so recently while he was at the same time instructing his priests in a seminar to discuss Arab pressure against Christians in the Middle East in terms of blaming the Jews for what the Arabs were doing.
The EU is self-righteously placing itself against Israel making Israel out to be the aggressor whenever she defends herself and rather ignoring the effects of a fake peace process that leads to the murder of Jews which gets conveniently ignored. They’re more than happy to let Muslim immigrants terrorize Jews on the street. Kaczynski well knew that EU treaties are not worth the paper they’re printed on.
Sorry, I absolutely do not regret my comments and by no means do I sympathize in the slightest with the Poles in their grief. By the way the internet posts are beginning about Kaczynski being murdered by a Jewish plot. Wake up and smell the garbage.
It is not uncommon for a single aircraft to be carrying many high ranking politicians and other individuals, to international events. Chancellor Merkel travels with a very full entourage to China, for example. In the case of this Polish catastrophe, it is most likely that the pilot was ordered by his President to land, in lieu of the more sensible option of a thirty-minute diversion to Minsk, until the fog at Smolensk had cleared. Whilst the Poles are justifiably distressed at this outcome, they are sanguine to the extent that their government and its institutions are sufficiently robust to allow them to keep calm and carry on, and not to now panic and freak out.
There are plenty of articles floating around the internet that the Polish president’s plane was fully refurbished with the latest technology and equipment as recently as last December. As well, the 2 pilots were the best there was. All this to say that the airplane could have landed itself in the fog (like most modern jets can) and that even if ordered to land in the fog, this would have been no problem for these pilots.
As people mentioned, this crash is highly convenient for Russia who will now be able to install the pro-Russia PM as president.
Also, very disturbing is why Obama disappeared for 2 hours immediately after the crash with no press in tow. Offically, he wanted to attend a sooccer game. Problem is, there is no evidence of any soccer game being played at that point and no one saw him anywhere. Theories abound that he was actually confering with the Russians about what comes next, now that Kyrgystan and Poland are ready to come back into the Russian fold.
There is so much more to this story and it will hopefully start to trickle out over time.
Steve!
YOU BADLY WRONG!!!
YOU ARE writting about Lec Kaczynski brother!!!! They are twins!!
Lech(ZAL) didnt say all the awfull staff!
Check and then write!
Shame on You
Israel’s aim is a mass deportation of Palestinians from the West Bank.”
So? Aliens in, Aliens out. What are the Arabs doing on this side of the Jordan except for fomenting strife and war? The Arabs have 2 million square kilometers, and they grudge us 26 thousand. Lets pool our resources and buy them out!! It’ll be cheaper than the gargantuan Security establishment, and much mire humane than the bilateral killing. Lets take every penny of the American aid ever given to Israel and return it, along with the Arabs.