US Embassy Warsaw Farewell Interview with Ambassador Victor H. Ashe, Sept. 17, 2009

The interview with the outgoing US Ambassador to Poland Victor H. Ashe was conducted by a US Embassy Warsaw press attache on September 17, 2009, the day of President Obama's announcement about discarding the American missile defense system in Poland and Czech Republic. The Polish government saw the missile shield as a major US security guarantee and protection against any future political and military pressure from Russia.


In a public diplomacy disaster for the US, President Obama's missile shield removal annoucement was made on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 launched under the terms of the Hitler-Stalin Pact. Former Polish president and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa who said "It wasn't that the shield was that important, but it's about the way, the way of treating us," expressed the dismay of many Poles over the historic symbolism of the timing of President Obama's September 17 announcement.

The failure of the US State Department and the White House to properly appreciate the historical significance of the Soviet invasion anniversary for the Polish people was summed up in the Wirednews story headline: "Dear Poland, Happy Soviet Invasion Day, Love Uncle Sam" and in numerous other US and international media news reports and commentaries.

As it is typical for US State Department self-generated public relations interviews, none of the missile defense controversy was mentioned in the video released by the US Embassy in Warsaw. Ambassador Ashe was President George W. Bush's appointee but was asked by President Obama to stay in his post for several months into the new administration. The Obama White House had firm plans to scrap the missile defense system in Poland and Czech Republic as part of its strategy to improve relations with Russia and to get Moscow's support for curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Poland, which during the Bush Administration was a strong NATO ally of the US and contributed troops to both Iraq and Afghanistan, was no longer important enough for President Obama to travel to Gdansk for the 70th anniversary observances of the start of World War II. The White House's original plan to send a former official from a former administration to represent the US at the ceremonies in Poland was viewed by the Poles as a major snub. The White House sent at the last moment the President's national security advisor, still well below the level of the heads of state and heads of government who came to Poland, including Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

One could say that Ambassador Ashe's final weeks in Poland ended in a major public diplomacy disaster for the US and a major security policy setback for Poland. However, as a Bush Administration holdover appointee, Ambassador Ashe, a strong supporter of the missile defense shield and an advocate for a close strategic alliance between Poland and the United States, had minimal access to the Obama White House. Apparently he also had a minimal ability to manage even the public relations aspect of US-Polish relations once the new US administration took office.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Victor H. Ashe
• Barack Obama
• Poland
• United States
• missile shield
• video
• interview
• US Embassy Warsaw

[Fallinldols]

this guy was accused of sucking george bush's COCK

[Stewartp]

No more Polish cock for you then Victor!

[Alba12349]

yes I heard that aswell. It wouldn't suprise me since the bush family is involved in alot of sick shit

[SillyGrandpa]

Job well done, Mr.Ashe.