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October 2009
2009 marks the latest of Poland’s many milestones on the road to re-establishingitself as a regional power akin to the status it enjoyed in the mid 17
th
century. It has nowbeen 20 years since the dramatic fall of communism and the re-birth of a free Poland.During that time many important steps have been taken in an ever strident effort to secureboth political and military integrity. This year also marks the 10
th
anniversary of Poland’sentry in to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). In this essay I will discuss theachievements that have been made and look at the direction in which Poland is headingin terms of security and foreign policy.
Establishing an International Presence
Polish membership of both NATO and the European Union (EU) were from theoffset primary policy goals during the 1990s. These were achieved in 1999 and 2004respectively. As part of NATO Poland has taken part in the Afghanistan mission, and tosecure it status as a dependable ally of the USA (NATO’s paramount power), also in theIraq mission. The latter finished earlier this year; while the Polish force in Afghanistansuccessfully carried out its first offensive operation (Op Eagle’s Feather) also this year. Theconduction of Op Eagle’s Feather has significance beyond its limited affect upon theatreoperations. This was the first time since the end of communism that Polish soldiersdeployed offensively.
Modernising the Military 
During the Cold War the Polish military was a large conscript based organisationdesigned to conduct defensive operations of a conventional manner. In 1989 the newPolish state inherited a huge and somewhat overwhelming organisation that wastechnologically outdated and tactically inefficient for the role in which Poland was to finditself as a member of NATO. Since that time much has been done to re-equip and re-trainthe Polish military. An inevitable part of that has been the professionalisation of the armedforces with the last group of conscripts being sworn in to the military in Dec 2008. Polandhas invested heavily in modern technology with the Leopard tank and Rosmark APC(Armoured Personnel Carrier) significantly improving the land forces capability andmanoeuvrability. The most costly and high-profile purchase has been the F-16 Fighterfrom Lockheed-Martin which replaces Soviet era Mig-29s and Su-22s. These vehiclescombined with the general re-structuring of the Polish military along NATO lines havebeen somewhat controversially paid for by the 22.6 billion Z
 ł 
oty defence budget (2008figure: 7.4 $ billion). This budget makes Poland one of the biggest European defencespenders proportional to its size (1.95% GDP). Alas Poland still does not have a strategiclift capability nor logistical organisation capable of deploying the military overseas andtherefore relies upon its NATO allies, primarily the USA, for missions such as Afghanistan.
Poland: A Regional Power ?
 
by Jeremy W.Walters (BSc, MA)
Poland: A Regional Power ?
1
 
October 2009
Political Assertiveness
From a policy perspective Poland has tried to place itself at the heart of both theEU and NATO. During 2009 Poland nominated three individuals to senior NATO/Europeanpositions: Rados
 ł 
aw Sikorski for NATO Secretary General, Wlodzimersz Cimoszewicz forCouncil of Europe Secretary General and Jerzy Buzek for European Parliament President.Poland achieved a 1 out of 3 success rate with Jerzy Buzek being elected President inJuly 09. This drive to become a central player within these organisations has beenmatched by Polish foreign policy within central and Eastern Europe. The high-profileinvolvement of President Kaczynski during Russian/Georgian hostilities in 2008 and thesupport of Ukraine’s ‘Orange Revolution’ are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Poland’s engagement in regional affairs.
Reasons behind Poland’s Actions
 The motivation behind Poland’s assertion of its position has its roots in Poland’sturbulent past. Many Poles still feel a sense of betrayal at the way Poland was dealt withby its allies during and after the Second World War and this, coupled with the culturalmemory of Poland’s partition at the end of the 18
th
century and the more recent forcedmembership of the Soviet-bloc, leaves Poland insecure as to its territorial integrity. It is notsurprising therefore that successive Polish governments have been so ever-forward inthere bid to make Poland a central NATO and European actor.
 Tightly connected with this sense of in-security and bid for security reassurancesfrom its allies is the missile defence project first outlined by the US Bush administration.Poland was caught somewhat off-guard by the abrupt cancellation of the project byPresident Obama and saw the project along with the stationing of US troops on Polishsoil as a way of guaranteeing a US response to aggression by a third party upon Poland. Vice-President Joe Biden during his October visit to Warsaw was therefore doing hisutmost to reassure Poland of US military support. This came shortly after theannouncement of a new missile project by The Whitehouse. Were Poland to eventuallyhost US troops it would confirm Poland as an important strategic ally for the US.However, it would do little to increase Poland’s own status as a regional power.
Poland’s Future
 The two strung path Poland is trying to tread, one of both military and politicaldimensions, has both drawbacks and advantages. While expanding its military powersPoland does indeed gain notoriety within the international community. However, theamount of 'hard power' currency that can be gained is at best limited. Poland's economycan not at present maintain the sort of investments that are required of a global actor. Apart from the USA there are only two other NATO members who regularly deploy troopsoutside of a peacekeeping framework: France and the United Kingdom. These two
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Jeremy Wysakowski-Walters

For an update see 'Poland calls the bear's bluff!' by Jeremy Wysakowski-Walters

reply06 / 02 / 2010
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