Utopia Talk / Politics / US offers Poland $2 billion loan

murder Member	Tue Sep 26 09:14:48 to modernize its military. ======================== WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Monday that it is offering a $2 billion loan to Poland, which has been a hub for weapons going into Ukraine, to support the ally’s defense modernization. The State Department said in a statement that Poland is a “stalwart” ally of the U.S. whose “security is vital to the collective defense” of NATO ’s eastern flank, and that such funding is reserved for Washington’s most important security partners. The U.S. government is also providing Warsaw up to $60 million for the cost of the loan in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) which would support “urgent procurements of defense articles and services from the United States,” the State Department said. The $60 million is a loan subsidy meant to ensure that Warsaw can secure favorable terms for the loan. Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, handing over large numbers of its own tanks, fighter jets and other equipment. It has also been a hub for most of the Western weapons going to Ukraine. It has been undergoing a process of modernization to replace what it gave away, much of which was based on old Soviet technology, putting in orders with U.S. and South Korean defense companies. Recently the Polish-Ukrainian relationship has seen strains due to a trade dispute centered on Ukrainian grain entering the Polish market and driving down the prices Polish farmers can get. Amid the spat Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his country was no longer sending any more weapons to Ukraine. The comment created some confusion. Analysts noted that Poland has already in fact given Ukraine most of what it has to give, and the statement was made ahead of a Polish election and did not mean much. But it also raised concerns that Western support for Ukraine could be weakening. U.S. officials have sought to play down the spat, praising Poland’s role in helping Ukraine and noting that it is in Poland’s strategic interest for Ukraine to prevail against Russia. http://apn...997918fcd951ac4164862a1fc18098
murder Member	Tue Sep 26 09:16:12 1. Why only Poland? 2. Why only $2 billion? 3. Why isn't this a permanent thing?
Rugian Member	Tue Sep 26 09:21:14 4. Isn't the government shutting down in 4 days? How do we have money for this? 5. Why are we spending money on other countries when we are already so much in debt? 6. Why isn't Western Europe paying for this? This is their backyard, not ours.
murder Member	Tue Sep 26 09:41:57 Why don't you understand the difference between expenditure and investment? Loaning them money to modernize and improve their fighting and deterrent capability saves us money annually. The stronger they get the less we need to spend to keep the Russians from invading Europe and drawing us back into a major war. The less we have to commit to defending Europe the more we can commit to containing China. Loaning them money also means more sales for US weapons manufactures ... which means cheaper weapons for us. Western Europe should be doing the same and likely would if Poland and other were using US loans to buy US weapons to modernize their forces. Western European countries wouldn't want to lose out on all those sales. Our debt is fine. If you think our debt is out of control, convince Republicans to pay taxes.
TheChildren Member	Tue Sep 26 10:12:37 bribery
TheChildren Member	Tue Sep 26 10:12:49 debt trap
Paramount Member	Tue Sep 26 11:13:57 1. Why are they being forced to loan money? 2. What interest rate? 3. Why not give the the money to Poland if they are such a good ally?
Nimatzo iChihuaha	Tue Sep 26 11:48:16 I am astonished some Americans still don't understand that military aid to other countries, is largely going back into the US military industry. Poland is not going to modernize their military, buying Chinese airplanes and Iranian tanks. Allegedly the really cool stuff is built by America. The question is, do you want/need a military industry?
murder Member	Tue Sep 26 12:18:54 "3. Why not give the the money to Poland if they are such a good ally?" Don't ask me. I've long supported subsidizing the armed forces of vulnerable allies. Eastern Europe in particular.
jergul large member	Tue Sep 26 12:21:48 2 billion? Why is that even news? 20 billion I get. 2 billion is chump change.
murder Member	Tue Sep 26 12:23:35 It's about enough for Poland to purchase a dozen F-35s.
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