News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]

A can see a few things that Poland can do to strengthen its position:

#1 Putting an end to the Russo-German project of Nord Stream II. This is can't be done by Poland and the Baltic States alone since both Russia and Germany only listens to those who are stronger than them, which brings me to point no.2

#2 Poland should not allow the US to be pushed out from European politics (which is a Franco-German plan for the EU). Poland should become the hub for the interest of the United States in Europe but also make it clear that America would return the favor and back us up when necessary.

#3 Poland should ignore the threats coming from the overly socialist welfare states of the "old Europe" ("old" in more ways than one) and boost its economy by attracting FDI's with a tax system similar to that employed by the UK and Ireland. In the simple words of Bill Clinton: 'economy, stupid!'

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


Only when it suits German interests. When "smart diplomacy" fails the brute force prevails.

Like in the case of negotiations with China when Germany made a deal with Beijing without asking other EU countries for their permission or even for their opinion in such an important matter.

politico.eu/article/germanys-drive-for-eu-china-deal-draws-criticism-from-other-eu-countries/

In other words: "we are nice and agreeable as long as you dance to our tune. And if you don't we will still have it our way whether you want it or not. So don't be unreasonable".

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


Because it would be based on the rules of the free market and not on bureaucratic regulations that favor the established EU members who formed the whole EU legislation to suit their interests.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


Are you trying to put an image in our heads of Merkel shooting herself in some bunker under Berlin after the collapse of the EU? :-)

I do agree with that conclusion, and I pointed it out on few occasions on pf's, except for one crucial detail: not waiting for the EU to collapse but actively helping that scenario to happen. And building a free European trade agreement on its ruin.

And in case that would not be possible Poexit should be considered as a second-best option. The worst option would be to stay in and let the EU morph into a federation and to swallow the sovereignty of all the nation-states in the process.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


It does not. Those are two different questions regulated by different international acts and documents.

PS: As for the rest of the replies, [@pawian @delphian] I'm not even going to legitimate that nonsense by replying to it. Produce something better or don't bother at all.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


For you, there are two simple states of relations between the two countries/nations: love or hate. And when you perceive that there's a "love" between the two nothing should be done to upset it. I guess you are a victim of a state education system that puts too much pressure on romanticism.

In fact the most important thing is the national interest. And serious countries understand that.

I'm simply disillusioned about Germany, its intentions, and long-term interests in CE.

If you dropped that foolish romantic outlook on politics, the "EU integration" and "Germo-Polish friendship" you would notice it too.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


I'm not thinking in terms of what "PiS wants" but rather what would be good for Poland. Those are two separate things.

Let's separate the interest of [any given] ruling political party from the long-term interest of Poland.

When it comes to international politics and dealing with other countries let's start thinking in terms:

#1 What do you offer and how can we benefit from it?

#2 What are your demands? And what steps are you going to take if we don't agree to your demands?

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


I'm of the same opinion since now they are more focused on not losing political power in Poland.

But they did bring the subject to public opinion and it resonated with many. Right now it is a tool of hitting back Germany whenever they are trying to discipline Poland with "the rule of law". But in the future with the right government, this subject can be pushed further.

First of all this subject of reparations needs to be normalized. Not like it is depicted by some media as an outragious claim against our dear Western friends but as a natural and internationally approved compensation for war damages.

Germans are - to a certain degree - pragmatic. If they will have no other option to close this inconvenient subject they would pay. And only agreeing on the right price would be an issue.


Those relations were far more beneficial for Germany than for Poland.

Damaging our "friendly relations" - which are based on economical control of Germany over Central Europe and making it a source of components and a labor force for the German industrial sector - doesn't really concern me. To paraphrase the old commie saying: "Poland has nothing to lose but its chains"

Me and my dog are also in very friendly relations: when I say "sit" he sits. When I ask him to roll over he rolls over.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


You're wrong. This is not very surprising given your record here on PF's.

West Germany is a continuation of the 1871-1945 German Reich. And that was claimed by the German Democratic Republic itself.
It dates back to the cold war when West Germany claimed to be the only rightful German state, as opposed to East Germany controlled by the Soviets.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


We already spoke about those "settled cases". 1953 is disputable and 1990 doesn't apply to it at all.


That's another benefit of it. It can be used for domestic politics but it can also be used in negotiations with Germany. Even unsatisfied war reparations have a lot of value.

A long time ambition of Germany is to become a full member of the United Nations Security Council, next to the US, UK, France, Russia, and China.

It would be difficult to achieve that when there's a case of unsatisfied WW II reparations for German Nazi crimes against humanity, and compensation for slave labour, hanging over the country and being constantly reminded of by a fellow NATO and the EU member.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]

With all due respect, @jon357, if you could cool off your emotions and take a look at our post exchange you would find out that it isn't me who acts like a parrot.


International Court of Justice in Hague. It's a part of the UN and its jurisdiction is based on the Charter of the United Nations


That remains to be seen.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


Provide some facts instead of this....whatever that is that you're trying to provide here.

- Show me where I'm confusing issues about war crimes

- Demonstrate to me which international acts prevent Poland from forming war compensation claim against Germany

Since German lawyers only came up with a questionable Bierut's act of 1953 I'm sure you can come up with something better.

I will help you a little with that:

#1 According to international law war crimes do not expire

#2 Germany is a legal successor of the IIIrd Reich [West Germany has asserted continuity with the German Reich]

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


That's what the German side was referring to so far.


War crimes do not expire.

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]


Not exactly. The most important paper on this subject: the 1953 Bierut's Act is not technically valid* and leaves a lot of room for a good lawyer to make a case.

And another important paper which is sometimes mentioned, that is 1990 Treaty of Good Neighbourship between Poland and Germany doesn't apply to this case since it only touches the subject of the borders, national minorities, and cultural cooperation between two countries.

gazetaprawna.pl/wiadomosci/artykuly/1118241,arkadiusz-mularczyk-nie-ma-uchwaly-ws-zrzeczenia-sie-praw-do-reparacji-od-niemiec.html

News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]

The war ended over 75 years ago and only recently the German government made the decision to commemorate it. Call me a sceptic but I think it was dictated by the recent war reparation demands coming from Warsaw.

Obviously, it is much cheaper to erect the memorial than to pay hundreds of billions in compensations.
I'd rather receive substantial funds that can be used for the investment in infrastructure in Poland than to have a memorial in Berlin.

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


That's what I said. If Britain creates an investment haven with low taxes and minimal regulations just on the border of the EU they'll have a competitive edge over the beaurocratic continent. In recent years Britain with its relaxed tax laws received more money in FDI than any other country in Europe, including the biggest economy - Germany.

The UK doesn't have to change its attitude, it simply has to do more of what they did already.


The EU [EU does not equal Europe. The EU is the antithesis of traditional Europe] made the whole process as complicated and difficult as possible with the sole purpose in mind to discourage the other members from leaving. You know, like a possessive girlfriend in a toxic relationship. The UK has pushed through showing that it's possible to leave and not on terms dictated by the EU.

Anyway, this painful - for both sides - Brexit has ended. The next possible -exit will use its example to speed things up and to make the process go smoother.

Like I said before: the UK needs to show the rest that the benefits of leaving are well worth going for it.

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


Nigel Farage's UKIP was never a large party either, dwarfed by both major British political parties: Tories and Labours. And yet they made Brexit happen after all.

What's important is that:

#1 European political parties, and societies, have started talking openly about EU -exits
#2 One -exit [Brexit] has happened already showing the rest of the members that's it is possible to leave
#3 Future -exits will be influenced by the results of Brexit. If Britain, and the British economy, manage well outside of the EU some other members will be more willing to follow their example

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


20 seats in the Dutch parliament. The second-largest political party

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]

PVV releases election program: a country without headscarves, but with traditional Dutch coziness

Geert Wilders writes that his party is proud of its own culture. "We will not let ourselves be talked into racism."

The party also wants to "take control of our own money" and leave the European Union

Another result of German "refugee" willkommen politics.

nltimes.nl/2021/01/09/pvv-releases-election-program-country-without-headscarfs-traditional-dutch-coziness

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]


I'm not among those men.

I'm talking about the essence of child-murdering, which essentially what abortion is, and you're sending me links with the opinion polls...

Question #1: If we held a nationwide opinion poll on the subject of whether we should or shouldn't let a certain group of people live or die and 51% of voters would say "yeah, just kill them" shall we proceed?

Question #2: And what if a popular opinion swing to the other side and in the next few years the new majority would say: "you know what. Now we should kill another group of people for the sake of our convenience". Shall we proceed?

Question #3: Can a given majority do anything they want with the current minority, including stripping them off of their basic human rights, as long as they have 51%?

A general question: Do you understand that we don't live in a cultural vacuum and the basic laws are based on our traditional values, a cultural code which in the case of Poland is based on Christian values and Aristotelian Natural Law?

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]


That's a personal image that most of us get from looking up to our mothers.

That doesn't apply to women of low quality who decided to kill their child/children before they were born. And especially group of women who not only did that but they also trying to encourage other women to do so.

If I asked you to kill another person and you would comply we would both go to prison for murder. If a low-quality woman kills her child and also encourage other women to do so, she is being labeled by a large group of sad individuals as a "strong independent woman"

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

"How do Polish men feel about gender equality?"

I'm cool, about it :-)

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News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]

I simply stated:


You know what, you usually make much more sense since you are one of the more logical thinking pf members. We'll continue our discussions when you cool off a bit.

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


You're not making much sense here.

That's a criminal case with evidence and multiple trials in British courts. It had a whole group of Pakistani immigrants convicted for multiple cases of rapes and false imprisonment of underaged girls.

I really don't get what's your point here.

PS: For those who don't know about the subject:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


I've demonstrated a logical fallacy in action.

And I used an alternative version of @mafketis who lives in a big city of Wachock, that doesn't exist [yet?]. So if you get an ankle sprain skiing this winter or something I don't want to be accused that I caused it by my post on this forum :-)

PS: Here's a list of common logical fallacies that you may find beneficial (the list, not fallacies ;-)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies#Formal_fallacies

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


It was a rainy day in the big city of Wachock. @mafketis lit up a ciggy and attempted to cross the road. He got hit by a speeding car and died.

Therefore, he died because he was smoking cigarettes.

Conclusion #2: If he ate an apple that day instead of smoking a ciggy he may have survived. We'll never know ;-)

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


In that case, we'll take your word over the whole discipline of statistics and causal analysis.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]

That's a rookie mistake. Correlation does not imply causation.

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [957]


Thank you for explaining the point of view of "all Poles"


That's the limit of your ambition? In that case I'm looking for a new cleaning person and I tip generously. Send me your references.

News / Is NORD STREAM dangerous for Poland's natural enviroment? [516]


I rather overestimate than underestimate the opponent. Especially when it's a high stake game