Poland's Big Imperial Aspirations:

A Coverup for Growing Economic Anxiety

There is no doubt about it; Poland, a country of almost 40 million people,
is looking to increase its role on the international stage. While it is
failing miserably to create jobs and ensure social prosperity at home, its
politicians are looking more and more to geopolitical manoeuvres to ensure
more power, prestige and cash for its elite. And it probably is exactly its
failure to create a shining example of consumer wealth and bliss which has
been one of the driving forces behind Poland's moves to recreate itself as
an international  gendarme (of Christian values of course!) and a country
with regional leadership over its areas of interest.

The clearest example of Poland's new ambitions was its participation in the
war in Iraq and its policing and economic involvement in its reconstruction.
Although most Poles were against the war, it was a successful geopolitical
game for the politicians. First, Poland has developed some messianic view of
itself lately in regards of being a beacon of Christian values. (It has
lobbied actively to include Christian values into the EU constitution for
example.) The Polish politicians who engaged in the war betrayed a deeply
seated belief that what was really at stake was a whole complicated value
system. Second, Poland has been licking US ass for quite some time now,
hoping for some kickbacks in foreign investment. The war actually paid off
for them as some Polish elites were able to reap some reconstruction deals;
the press's crass assessment of the war tended to be that "it was a good
investment"; we spent a little money, sent just a few people, no real
bloodshed, big rewards. Only a place so blinded by the desire for material
progress, so sold into the myths and lies of knights on white horses
carrying job-creating investment packages could possibly assess a war as
"good" and "profitable" because some local firms might win some contracts.
Even the Americans were deeply embarassed by accusations that they were
fighting a war for oil. The politicians from Poland revelled in the new
importance this gave to Poland militarily; Polish elite forces were
photographed in Iraq holding an American flag.

But Poland also has other ambitions. For example, there's the proposal that
Poland represent Ukraine's interests in the EU. This comes at a time when
there is growing interest in Poland's history in that area; you meet more
and more people who feel some nostaglia for Poland's lost eastern
territories and, although nobody has spoken of taking back anything, there
is growing concern about Polish minorities in the region, reviving Polish
education and recognising Polish culture there. So Poland seeing itself in
the position to represent Ukraine is a diplomatic faux pas which may
certainly be understood as a desire to recreate some aspect of the empire.
And where statehood may not be a goal, at least economic and political
influence are.

Much talk is made about Poland's great future as the regional leader in the
post-accession Europe and about how its shear size will give it voting power
equivalent to Spain's. (That is if the rules don't change.) Local
politicians also see this potential voting power as a newly gained weapon in
their geopolitical plans.

It is clear that all these moves are praised in the press as potential
salvation for Poland because of the bankruptcy of years of neoliberal lies
which has utterly failed to produce widespread wealth for the average
person. It's the same syndrome where the poor folks with nothing to be proud
of place all their pride in the national football team. Except when the best
players on your team are Africans and it otherwise sucks, apparently the
best ego booster is getting into the same war as the Americans. Nothing to
eat? At least you don't have Sadam Hussein to lock you up and torture you.
Your company need a bailout? At least you can be proud that some peasant
boys can help save democracy and bumbling recruits from New Jersey. Why be a
nation looking for a handout when you can shut down a few dozen hospitals,
buy some F-16s and play war games in Iraq with the rich boys?

An ugly assessment of ugly foreign policies. From now on, it looks like the
world will have one more villian on the international scene.

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