Polish, US, and UK relations

ok, any1 who has any idea of what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan knows that the 2 countries who are helping the US troops the most are the British and the Polish.

i want the Americans to post what they think of Poland and Britain-not only war effort but in general

same goes for Polish about the US and British

and Brits about US and Poland

i am a Polish/American living in Erie,PA...and not many people give any respect to the allies of America. from what i understand, England is still the #1 ally of the US and vice versa, but just recently due to its willingness to help spread freedom and Democracy Poland had become the #2 ally of the US.....and UK and Polish relations got significantly better since they helped in Iraq, despite critisism to both sides from countries like France who are opposed the war

so please, post away...and if u don't like the british or polish....i'm not looking for insults...i'm looking for honesty in the nicest form possible. If you don't like either of the countries, tell me why but don't be a jacka** k?

well, i might as well post what i think

US-doing aswesome job of bringing democracy to a third world country and taking out their dictator. mad respect for the Marines, Navy, and Armed Forces. keep up the hard work guys

UK-i have tons of respect for the UK army/spec ops/RAF/and all attachments to their military. i think its great that they are helping out the US. lotta history between Britain and Poland, not always good, but we all got over it and i think we can all agree WWII sucked.my grandfather was in one of the Polish squadrons of the RAF in WWII. thank god he lived.
here's a neat little link for anyone who wants a good read

www.questionofhonor.com


Poland- ask any NAVY SEAL or DELTA FORCE member that fought in Iraq and they will tell u right away that the Polish GROM are some of the most kicka** guys out there. a lot of SEALS train alongside future GROM members and a lot if times they are in Poland. i had the pleasure of talking to a SEAL, he came to my highschool once so i asked him some questions...and he said that if there was any1 out there fighting today that needed some more respect, its the boys in GROM. they are some of the most under-respected troops in the world. they have the same training criteria of the SEALS and everything. -thats basically the summary of what he told me.

dont know that much about polish since i never met one or spoken to one

i have nothing against the people of the US i just find their leader to be the worst mistake ever

americans in general i have met a few (on their vacations in the UK, i work part time in a store) are decent people. good to talk to and so forth
and some can be a headache i try not to genearlise with the rest

Well I think it is great that poland is supporting the war on terror and are so dedicated to the cause of freedom of democracy, especially after being apart of the soviet union.

I generally dislike the brits however. I find them to be arrogant, hypocritical and way too self-righteous for my taste. After living in england I find their culture to be a facade which covers the most decadent, repulsive, and sickening behaviors. Overall brits are pretty disgusting to me.

Well Honestly CP is just a case of US aid to Poland that makes you think this way. It seems very strange that a country and its people who suffered so much by the Ruskies ww1 and the Germans/Ruskies ww2 and through the cold war years would want the help of yet another oppresive dictatorship and would also want to aid and abbet them in there quest for world domination. Are the Polish bought so easily (thats a question) do the polish people agree with this policy?

Xphile, dead right were arrogant were the best in the world. the only country thats ruled the world, now were helping the yanks to do it but they keep fooking up, amatures really, cannot be relied on.

Magicmushroom, the naswer to your question is....we weren't bought

we were helping US and UK in Iraq and as a result we recieved a "financial gift" at least that's what they said on the news, lol

as for being controlled by the Russians/Prussians/and Germans in WW1 and then Germany/Russia in WW2, that really fricked the economy up a ton, i think if neither of those wars happened Poland would be a serious contender for a world power in Europe, along with France and England

and btw, the British aren't cursed with arrogance, they're blessed with PRIDE ....just like the Polish. Pride was the reason that Poland never officially surrendered in WW2. we were the only country to be in the war from day1 to the final day. and the Brits never would have surrendered either. there would have been a London Uprising, just like the Warsaw uprising, and the Polish Gov. in Exile and the Brit Gov. would have gone to the US and continued the war effort there

I've never been to Poland or Britain so I can't say much about how I feel about either country. My mother lived in England when she was a teenager and she loved it. I think she's always wanted to go back. I certainly meet a lot of nasty people from both countries on the internet, but I also meet lots of horrible Americans so I know they aren't representative of their nation as a whole.

First of all let me say I class myself as Welsh and not British. Wales is a proud country and it amazes me how many Americans call British people English or refer to Brit's as English - for those who missed geography in school let me state Great Britain/United Kingdom contains England, Scotland, Wales & N Ireland - many Scot's, Irish and Welsh find being classed as English as derogatory but thats a different matter I won't bore you with - it would open a whole new can of worms! Rant over.

Back to the thread, I live in an area of North Wales which has had a large number of Polish living there since the end of WWII and indeed only a few miles away is a Polish hospital. The nearest town to us is currently supporting many Polish in their arrival in the UK - I know a few Poles and they IMHO are a proud race also and I know I'm glad they're on our side for sure. The words 'tough and no nonsense' spring to mind. They are pretty much like us Welsh in that they're a proud bunch & also work hard/play hard. They ain't everyones cup of tea but the UK is pretty much getting overan with Eastern Europeans now entering via their EU membership statuses and the Poles seem to be an easy target for many middle Englanders just because theirs thousands more of them rather than Lithuains, Czech's, Ukrainians, Belarus nationals and the soon to arrive influx of 'dreaded' Albanians and Rumanians (or as much as alot of our media would make out)

As for USA - well I'd say opinion in the UK is pretty much undecided, hell yeah I think you were right to go to war and not just because of the tragedy that was 9/11. Just why Iraq? We all know of the oil links with this but to us yeah Wubya was just finishing what Pop didn't! Get after OSB! I'd say that nationally 60-70% of the UK would see our relationship with USA as strained. I think alot of it is that we see our elected leader and poodle Mr Blair as up George's backside and costs are going up here for something just over half the country didn't want, with billions being spent on arms or defence, sure we'd have to spend anyway but having you as an ally makes us that much more of a target for terrorism - But to me we're in it and in it together and there ain't no pulling out now. Sure we have the jokes about you guys with friendly fire and the fact God knows how many of you don't have a passport and think that the world ends at seeing the Pacific or Atlantic and yeah you have us as up ourselves, time for a cucumber sandwich or scone and tea, but yeah we're different and thats what make the world go around.

However it's time to show we mean business and standing next to you, the worlds Superpower, showing we will not back down and be intimidated by these religious fanatics. We still remember the sacrifices USA & Poland made during WWII - lest we forget. I know my Grandfather (who passed away last February - RIP) & who fought alongside the Polish and 'Yanks' wouldn't forget.

Sure relations between us can be strained at times but we need to stand as one and stand tall. Diolch yn fawr (welsh - big thanks)!

Originally posted by quiet guy wxm
-First of all let me say I class myself as Welsh and not British.

-for those who missed geography in school let me state Great Britain/United Kingdom contains England, Scotland, Wales & N Ireland

...so you are British

haha, nice post Quiet Guy...and btw....we Polish eat cucumber sandwiches too, but with other veggies on it (just FYI)

and my grandfather passed away not too long ago also. i believe he was about 12 during WW2 but his father was an airman that was part of a Polish attachment in the RAF. he died in the battle of Britain. he was shot down not too far from the runway where he was going to land. he died proudly though and gave the Luftwaffe hell. i don't know much about him but from what my grandfather tells me he was one of those no BS guys who liked to drink and get in the occasional fight ( a true Polak )

and i heard that not too many people in the UK like the fact that all these Eastern Europeans are coming to the UK for jobs. i hear its like the Mexican immigrants here in the US, except the Polish immigrants are most likely all "legal immigrants" nice to hear that you're getting along with them though. have they shown you any drinking games? always fun. NA ZDROWIE!! (to good health!)

Originally posted by magicmushroom
Xphile, dead right were arrogant were the best in the world. the only country thats ruled the world, now were helping the yanks to do it but they keep fooking up, amatures really, cannot be relied on.

"ruled the world" You controlled a handful of colonies, most of which you lost control of and britain is a country that wallows in past glory. They are a minor player in world events, yet they do offer what they are able. How many times had the U.S. kept britain from being overrun? lets see, you were on the brink of being invaded in WW2 by the germans, western europe would have probably fell to the soviets if the US didnt provide aid. Winston churchill is someone I would classify as making losing look good. Isnt that what britain does best? make losing look good?

Originally posted by Langolier
I've never been to Poland or Britain so I can't say much about how I feel about either country. My mother lived in England when she was a teenager and she loved it. I think she's always wanted to go back. I certainly meet a lot of nasty people from both countries on the internet, but I also meet lots of horrible Americans so I know they aren't representative of their nation as a whole.

Trust me, you arent missing much. The are far better countries in europe to visit than britain. When I refer to britain, I am mainly refering to the english. The scots and the welsh are REALLY good people and far better than the english. IMO northern Ireland should not even belong to the UK, but then again thats my opinion. Talk to anyone that has lived in england for any period of time and they will tell you the same. Their weather sucks and their food is awful. I dont see how they arent so obese they cant move. Their medicine is inferior, well just about everything in england is technologically inferior save for a few universities. Their education system is rediculously inferior and is in dire need of an overhaul.

I've never been to either place but from I've gotten from the news and reading, the Brits seem to be pretty good allies. I honestly havent heard much about Poland since the beginning of the war. I knew they had a presense in Iraq but havent heard much. As for Polish women, OH YEAH!!!!!

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

"ruled the world"

You controlled a handful of colonies, most of which you lost control of and britain is a country that wallows in past glory.

You call a quarter of the globe a "handful"? Wow americans DO have to oversize everything....compensating for something mabye..?

They are a minor player in world events, yet they do offer what they are able.

Minor? I would argue against that but hey whats 7 thousand troops amongst friends?

How many times had the U.S. kept britain from being overrun? lets see, you were on the brink of being invaded in WW2 by the germans, western europe would have probably fell to the soviets if the US didnt provide aid.

Lol Once, and that was only because you got rich off it first then came in once you got a bloody nose because of your navies overconfidence (as usual) Your second time was helping yourselfs in the process? Or do you think you would have prefered not to have a rather large landing field to strike against the soviet union and like them having fresh bases inside mainland europe.

Winston churchill is someone I would classify as making losing look good. Isnt that what britain does best? make losing look good?

Lol funny didnt he "win" the battle of britain AND world war two? Or is that union flag on buckingham palace really a swastika in disguise?
But then again this is coming from the country who elected George W bush as president isnt it?

Originally posted by XphilesPhan
Winston churchill is someone I would classify as making losing look good. Isnt that what britain does best? make losing look good?

Really?
As opposed to bush looking good?

Winston churchill was one of the greatest leaders during that time.
Britian got kicked during dunkirk, and before the americans came in.
Britian got major loans to sustain the war.
Britian got hit HARD in the blitz.

Yet, they still had the grit to DENY everything hitler demanded, and to face off and declare that they will not fall unless every man is dead.

Britian didnt fail, Britian showed strength and determination.
Churchill looked bad at times, but the 'bulldog' mentality certainly helped the americans over run the germans...
How long were the britians at war before america joined?

I like English people but then I'm English. The only English people I don’t like are the Chavs (the peasant under class). But the “working class” are quite cool; I believe it’s because unlike Chavs they tend to work.
As for the U.K government I think its rubbish. ConLab (the two political parties that rule us) are both highly out of touch with the will of the British people. In fact when one of them supports something that is popular I tend to think it is marketed coincidence; just as when they support something that is unpopular it is because they can (and if they oppose it it’s usually because if they out of government, and it will be another coincidence if they honour their opposition when they are in government.

As for Polish people I was quite scared about what would happen to Britain when all these Eastern Europeans would come in from the EU (thanks to the press). But now I’ve completely changed my mind; I love polish people, in fact I am in love with two of them and don’t really know what to do (separate issue).
So far; all the Eastern Europeans I’ve met are like some sort of Aryan race that has dropped out of the sky. Even when they look like Chavs; they are actually really nice people; and my only explanation is that they’ve all made the effort to come to an alien country to work and save.

And from what I’ve heard Polish people tend to think the Polish government is quite # in the same way English people increasingly tend to think it’s quite #.

I think the way the U.K government has let us down the most is by not by the war in Iraq (though that’s at least on a moral level the single worst thing they’ve done). No instead their crime to the British people is not to have built enough prisons; and ensured that (through overfilling those we have) they are terrible for causing reform.

Huge areas in Britain are now 24/7 fear zones (often at the hands of a very small number of lawless people). In fact even quite nice, historical looking places can be 100% different at night.
And it’s defiantly getting worse; I think distributing social housing in the community has just caused it to be better noticed by a wider selection of people. But the government has vandalised the crime figures (for example offences by under 16 are often omitted from the national crime rate).
Americans who live in a country where there are lot’s of prisons might not understand why anyone would be scared of under 16’s. The trouble is that they operate in groups and extended families.
In England is increasingly a bad place to live in; and crime is ahead of all other reasons, and if you ask people that’s what you will find.