Russia and Poland - the Day After

Big human tragedies are moments of change but can also provide the spark of unity. Political differences, competing interpretations of history, and differences in values all – even for a short moment - disappear in the face of death. They simply lose their importance and their very sense. There shall be a respectful silence over the tombs of those who died in the plane accident. It is a silence that will permit us to think about the dark symbolism of what has happened: A Russian-built plane carrying the Polish President and tens of prominent Poles crashed in Russia near the final resting place of thousands of Poles who were massacred in Katyn 70 years ago whose graves they were going to visit to commemorate this tragic anniversary.

Tragedies of such magnitude have significant social consequences. The spontaneous outpouring of solidarity from the Russian people with those who met their untimely ends was instantaneous and, what is more, unexpected by Poles. There are no doubt many complex reasons behind the fact that Poles and Russians are not on the most amicable terms. No more than thirty percent of both think about each other as a “friendly nation”; the rest look at their neighbor with suspicion (and some, no doubt, with hatred). And yet the day after the crash flowers and candles appeared in front of the Polish Embassy in Moscow and thousands of letters and e-mails of support and condolence were sent to Poland by Russian citizens. There is an unique atmosphere of support from Russians – across the social and political spectrum – not seen in our relations for years. The Russian government went so far as to put condolences in Polish on the official web site of the Russian President; Prime Minister Putin is personally supervising the crash investigation; Russia announced last Monday a day of mourning; top Russian experts were sent to Smolensk to join the investigation; Russian television has shown A. Wajda’s film “Katyn” in prime time. Such an overt show of sorrow and compassion to Poles is quite extraordinary behavior for this government.

One of the best Polish political commentators wrote from Moscow: “I don’t know what is to come. But for now, from what I have seen in Smolensk and from the behaviour of the government in Moscow, I want to say with my whole heart: Thank you for this, Russia!”

http://valdaiclub.com/content/russia-and-poland-day-after

Some Poles actually thought that their country would not survive the process. When the election took place, peacefully, without incident, and apparently without fraud, people relaxed, took a breath, and got back to their normal lives. Issues like the Euro, the EU (and the growing economic catastrophe they seemed to cause), Iraq and Afghanistan, relations with Russia, homosexuality, the role of the Catholic church (and their own growing child abuse scandal) and other truly tough issues dominated their conversations, and were under serious debate in editorial pages. Even those who did not support the winners were able to chill out and relax.

Then, this horror struck.

permitting Poland to have this ceremony in the first place.

We don't have many chances to praise the Russians, so we certainly should do so when they deserve it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/opinion/13iht-edcohen.html?src=me&ref=opinion

“This is a terrible national tragedy. But in my sadness I am optimistic because Putin’s strong and wise declaration has opened a new phase in Polish-Russian relations, and because we Poles are showing we can be responsible and stable.”

Michnik was referring to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s words after he decided last week to join, for the first time, Polish officials commemorating the anniversary of the murder at Katyn of thousands of Polish officers by the Soviet Union at the start of World War II. Putin, while defending the Russian people, denounced the “cynical lies” that had hidden the truth of Katyn, said “there is no justification for these crimes” of a “totalitarian regime” and declared, “We should meet each other halfway, realizing that it is impossible to live only in the past.”

my hat....and bring me the tin foil.

Poland has been beheaded. And the NWO/Corporate Fascists step in.

Putin was the head of the KGB...just like Poppy was head of the CIA.

Don't trust either of them.

Something smells around here.

ETA: Wonder what Naomi Klein thinks of this!

You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts. A lot of sources on this side of The Pond have reported that not only did the pilots receive instructions to redirect either to Minsk or Moscow, but that they were overruled ... presumably by Lech himself. In an earlier, similar incident, Lech had ordered a pilot to land against air controllers' instructions, but the pilot in that case refused to do so. At personal cost to his own career, btw. In that case, everyone on the plane survived b/c the pilot didn't follow Lech's orders.

This is unquestionably a terrible tragedy. But, at least so far, there is no evidence that it was caused - deliberately or otherwise - by any Russian.

I'm just to STFU and keep my opinions to myself. Guess you're the only one with the right to Free Speech, right?

And the Black Box goes to Moscow.

Look who is coming into power.

I believe MSM all the time....they're always right.