Poland Pays High Price in U.S. Wars - But Still No Visa
Why are Polish citizens still required to apply for a stamped US Visa?
This is a question millions of Polish people are asking after ten years of fighting alongside American forces in Afghanistan. To date 37 Polish troops have died in Afghanistan War, and 23 more in the Iraq War, with hundreds more wounded. Poland’s military expenses have risen from 107 million złoty in 2002, to 1.9 billion złoty in 2010. As early as 2002, Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski visited the new Afghan President in Kabul, one of the first international leaders to commit to rebuilding the region. In addition, over 15,000 Polish troops served in Iraq, but Poles still do not have a U.S. Visa waiver, while European Union neighbors like Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Greece do.
Max Boot, a conservative military analyst and Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in 2007, "Poland has been one of the US’s most reliable allies in recent years, sending troops to both Afghanistan and Iraq, but Polish attitudes, while still firmly pro-American, are changing for the worse." A 2010 poll showed 73% of Polish citizens favored ending Afghanistan involvement. In 2009, U.S. Vice President Biden flew to Poland to meet with PM Donald Tusk and late President Lech Kaczyński, as well as Polish soldiers that served in Afghanistan where he described Polish soldiers as "warriors." In 2011, President Obama met with current Polish President Komorowski. Obama called Poland "one of our strongest and closest allies and a leader in Europe." Regarding Visa waivers Obama pledged to Komorowski, "I am going to make this a priority. And I want to solve this issue before very long. My expectation is, is that this problem will be solved during my presidency."
While Canada and every one of the EU countries except Poland enjoy Visa waivers, 25% - 35% of Poles are denied U.S. visas, costing each Polish applicant $100. As late as Dec. 2011, Poland suffered its single worst death toll in Afghanistan when a Polish patrol struck a land mine - killing five soldiers. As the Afghan War has become more deadly in recent years, the U.S. needs to alter its visa policies toward Poland and recognize the country's human and economic costs.
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) Kirk sent a letter to Obama supporting congressional legislation for Poland to enter the Visa waiver program, co-signed by fellow lawmakers Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mike Quigley (D - IL), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D -IL), and Brian Higgins (D -NY). As re-election looms, President Obama should act now to make good on his promise to Poland to deliver favorable Visa status before his presidency concludes.
Watch Now, and see Poland’s human sacrifice in support of the U.S. in Afghanistan - www.youtube.com/watch?v=caOQD3fIzas
SOURCES:
Polish Deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq: icasualties.org/OEF/Fatalities.aspx
Obama - Poland Closest Ally: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13582922
Biden - Polish soldiers “Warriors”: www.krakowpost.com/article/1653
Poland’s Deadliest Day in Afghanistan: www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/80908,Five-Polish-soldiers-di...
Obama promise to Poland: thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/05/20/will_obama_fu...
Polish Military Expenditures and Opinion Poll: www.krakowpost.com/article/2461
5 years, 15K Polish Troops in Iraq: www.krakowpost.com/article/1177