(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Support for participating in a United States military defence program has soared in Poland, according to a poll by GFK published in Rzeczpospolita. 58 per cent of respondents favour Poland hosting an American missile-defence base, up 28 points since March 2007.

In December 2002, U.S. president George W. Bush announced plans for the development of initial defence capabilities, which include ground-based and sea-based missile interceptors, as well as sensors located in space. Washington has explained the project as a means to defend the U.S. and its European allies from a potential attack by Iran or North Korea.

In January 2007, the U.S. issued a formal request to place a radar base in the Czech Republic—in a military area southwest of Prague—as well as 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.

Some countries doubt that Iran could actually represent a danger for the U.S. and its allies in Europe and fear the missile-defence shield could eventually become a threat to other nations instead—including Russia.

On Aug. 19, Polish president Lech Kaczynski warned that Poland would not give in to what he called "threats from Russia" over the missile pact, saying, "No-one can dictate to Poland what it should do. That’s in the past. Our neighbours should now understand that our nation will never give in, nor allow itself to be intimidated."

On Aug. 20, U.S. state secretary Condoleezza Rice and Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski signed the treaty that approves the missile base. Rice discussed Russia’s negative reaction to the decision, saying, "When you threaten Poland, you perhaps forget that it is not 1988. It’s 2008 and the United States has a firm treaty guarantee to defend Poland’s territory as if it was the territory of the United States. So it’s probably not wise to throw these threats around."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose Poland hosting a U.S. missile defence base?

Source: GFK / Rzeczpospolita
Methodology: Interviews to 500 Polish adults, conducted on Aug. 16, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

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