The weapon received the code name Alex during developmentThe Bor is a new Polish bolt-action 7.62x51mm NATO caliber sniper rifle.
The weapon received the code name Alex during development, after the name of the lead designer Aleksander Leżucha, creator of the 12.7 mm Tor anti-materiel rifle. After the development phase, the rifle received the military designation 'Bor'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bor_rifle
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"Bor" Polish Poland Made SUPERGUN bolt-action 7.62x51 sniper rifle and "Tor" 12.7 anti-materiel rifle
The Bor is a new Polish bolt-action 7.62x51mm NATO caliber sniper rifle. The weapon received the code name Alex during development, after the name of the lead designer Aleksander Leżucha, creator of the 12.7 mm Tor anti-materiel rifle. After the development phase, the rifle received the military designation 'Bor'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bor_rifle After 1999, when Poland became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, there was a need for new firearms for the Polish Armed Forces compatible with NATO standards. Starting in the early 2000s, at the Mechanical Equipment Research and Developing Centre (Ośrodek Badawczo Rozwojowy Sprzętu Mechanicznego - OBR SM) in Tarnów, engineer Aleksander Leżucha started his work on a new standard sniper rifle. The work on the Alex had financial backing of the Polish Science Research and Information Technology Ministry in a joint venture construction with the manufacturer OBR SM Tarnów. It is intended that this sniper rifle will ultimately replace all precision rifles of this caliber in Polish service (currently (2009) mostly SWD).
In the summer of 2005, testing of the new rifle began. The Bor was first unveiled at the 12th International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO in September 2005 in Kielce. The weapon then went into production in 2006, when a short series was made.
In the spring of 2007 the 7.62 mm Bor had passed all the tests required to be introduced into Polish inventories. The Polish Armed Forces wanted to acquire 36 systems in 2007.[1]
[edit] Design details The Bor is a bullpup-configuration bolt-action magazine-fed sniper rifle. The overall construction provides optimum accuracy through the use of a fluted (minimum weight/strength) free-floating barrel, which allows a full barrel length of 680 mm (26.8 in) in a short overall length of 1,038 mm (40.9 in). The muzzle is fitted with a double-baffle muzzle brake, which is claimed to reduce recoil by up to 30%. The "in-line" design of the barrel-receiver group also directs recoil rearwards in a straight line, minimizing muzzle flip. A sturdy adjustable bipod is fitted to the front of the fore-end. The rifle features a fully adjustable buttstock and cheek riser. A folding/adjustable monopod located behind the magazine on the inside of the buttstock can be used to support the rifle in firing position during extended periods of deployment. No iron or emergency sights are provided; a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail is mounted above the centerline of the barrel, over the receiver area for mounting various optical sights. The standard telescopic sight is a Leupold 4.5-14x50, with sight grid mil-dot reticle, parallax correction and an adjustment range of 100 MOA. RAQport Inc. 2004 North Monroe Street Arlington Virginia 22207 Washington DC Area USA TEL: 703-528-0114 TEL2: 703-652-0993 FAX: 703-940-8300 sms: 703-485-6619 Toll Free:1800-695-6200 EMAIL: sales@raqport.com WEB SITE: http://raqport.com Replacement for the SUN COBALT RAQ LINE New Centos BluQuartz Virtualization and Cluster Web Servers
Lech Kaczyński - President of the Republic of Poland help to Georgia. Tribute to Georgians : " For your freedom and ours "
Tribute to Georgians in Polish Service
Lech Kaczyński - President of the Republic of Poland
Born in Warsaw in 1949. Studied law at Warsaw University. In 1971, he moved to Sopot to work as a scholar at the University of Gdańsk. In 1980 he took a doctor’s degree in labor law, and in 1990 he was awarded a post-doctoral degree.
In 1977, he began to work for the Interventions Office of the Worker Defense Committee. A year later be became involved in the activity of Independent Trade Unions. In August 1980 he was nominated as an adviser of the Gdańsk Inter-plant Strike Committee. He was also a delegate to the First National Congress of the „Solidarność” Trade Union. Interned during the martial law. When released from internment, he returned to trade union activities. He was a member of the underground Solidarity authorities.
In December 1988, became a member of the Civic Committee with Lech Wałęsa. He took part in the Round Table Talks in the team focused on trade union pluralism. In 1990, he was nominated as the Union’s first deputy chairman involved in the running of the Solidarity Trade Union. He was elected senator in the June 1989 election, and two years later a parliamentary deputy representing the Center Civic Alliance Party. In 1991, he was appointed as the head of the National Security Office at the President’s Chancellery. A year later, in1992, he was nominated as the president of the Supreme Chamber of Control (NIK) and he continued to hold that office until 1995.
In June 2000, Lech Kaczyński was nominated as the Minister of Justice by Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek. He soon became the most popular member of the cabinet.
In April 2001, he was elected as the head the National Committee of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) to be elected the party’s president in spring 2001. After the September 2001 parliamentary election he returned to the parliament as the party’s deputy. In autumn 2002 he was elected Warsaw’s mayor with a big advantage over his opponents. He started his term in office by declaring a war against corruption – the so-called „Warsaw connections” - and by restoring law and order. In March 2005 he officially declared his intention to run as a presidential candidate.
Elected President of the Republic of Poland on October 23, he assumed the office on December 23, 2005 by taking an oath before the National Assembly.
Lech Kaczyński’s wife, Maria, is an economist. His daughter Marta graduated from the Department of Law at Gdańsk University. She is married to Piotr, and in 2003 she gave birth to her daughter, Ewa. Mr. and Mrs. Kaczyński are fond of animals. They have two dogs and two cats. Vilayat Guliyev: “Cooperation with Poland opens up opportunities for Azerbaijan to establish closer partnership with such international organizations as UN, EU and NATO”
Maria Kaczyńska, wife of the President of the Republic of Poland, comes from a patriotic Polish family from the Vilnius region in Lithuania. Her mother, Lidia Mackiewicz, was a teacher; her father, Czesław Mackiewicz, was a specialist in forestry. The family settled within the present Polish borders after the Second World War. During the war her father was taking part in guerrilla warfare against the German forces occupying the Vilnius region; one of his brothers fought at Monte Cassino in Italy as a soldier of the Polish Corps of General Władysław Anders. The second brother, an officer of the Polish Army, was killed at Katyń Forest.
Maria Kaczyńska attended primary and secondary schools in Rabka Zdrój in southern Poland. She graduated from the Department of Maritime Transport of the Higher School of Economics (now the University of Gdańsk) in Sopot on the Baltic coast. After receiving her diploma she worked at the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, where she conducted research into the developmental perspectives of maritime freight markets in the Far East.
In 1978 she married Lech Kaczyński, at that time an assistant research fellow at the Faculty of Law of Gdańsk University, an activist of the democratic anti-Communist opposition in Poland. In June 1980 she gave birth to her daughter, Marta, and shortly afterwards, in August 1980, widespread labour strikes broke out in Gdańsk and other Polish cities; the "Solidarity" trade union movement was established. When the Communist authorities cracked down on "Solidarity" and introduced martial law in Poland in 1981, her husband was interned for almost a year; after his release he was active in the underground "Solidarity" movement. At that time Maria Kaczyńska was on maternity leave; finally she decided not to return to work at the Maritime Institute. She engaged in tutoring and worked as a freelance translator from English and French; at the same time she was bringing up her daughter and helping her husband in his fight against the Communist regime in Poland.
After the fall of the Communist regime, during the period of political transformation of the country, when her husband held several important public offices, Maria Kaczyńska always supported charitable and cultural initiatives, especially when Lech Kaczyński was Mayor of Warsaw in 2002-2005. When she became the First Lady of Poland in 2005, her public activities took on a new dimension. As First Lady she co-operates with Polish and foreign non-governmental organizations focusing on social, medical and humanitarian issues. She participates in charity projects, using her position to help impoverished and handicapped persons, notably children with health problems and disabilities. She supports initiatives enriching Polish cultural life, acting in concert with artistic and intellectual circles. She is committed to promote her country abroad and to strengthen the positive image of democratic Poland in the world. She sometimes acts as Special Envoy of the President, representing her husband at official functions in various countries. She is involved in the international promotion of Polish cultural heritage.
Maria Kaczyńska takes an interest in literature and art; she loves music, ballet and the theatre. She likes travelling, which gives her an opportunity to gain an insight into the lives and traditions of other countries. She values both family life and social life. She enjoys spending her time with her three-year-old granddaughter Ewa. She speaks English and French and possesses some knowledge of Spanish and Russian.
The First Lady admits to having a strong personality. Her pleasant manner, cheerfulness and a fine sense of humour have won her a lot of friends; she is always open to new ideas. In matters of dress and personal adornments she prefers restrained, classical style.
Both the President and the First Lady love animals; they own two dogs and two cats.
Citizens´ Letters and Opinions Bureau (+4822) 695-20-29, Fax (+4822) 695-22-38 mailto:listy@prezydent.pl
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[ 01 Aug 2008 16:12 ] President of Poland will also participate in the 4th Energy Summit in Baku in November this year
Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Azerbaijan’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Poland Vilayat Guliyev interviewed by APA
-Foreign Minister of Poland called Azerbaijan one of the ten priority countries. This is perhaps in terms of energy security of Poland. And what does cooperation with Poland promises Azerbaijan?
-Azerbaijan is in the focus of attention of the European Union with its important geostrategic position, rich natural resources, leading position in the region and dynamic development. It is undeniable that Poland is one of EU members, which take especially great interest in our country. It was underlined several times that Azerbaijan-Poland relations rose to the stage of strategic partnership both on the level of president and foreign minister and political-economic relations with Azerbaijan were priority for Poland. Of course, both energy security of Europe and Azerbaijan’s becoming an important transit country play important role here. It should also be mentioned that Azerbaijan, which already has broad financial opportunities, can implement important economic projects along with Poland and make investments in the country’s economy in the near future. In this respect it is possible to predict that interest of Poland and other countries of Eastern European bloc in Azerbaijan will increase gradually. Cooperation with Poland opens up opportunities for Azerbaijan to establish closer partnership with such international organizations as UN, EU and NATO. The support for the right position of our country and adoption of the statement condemning Armenia’s aggressive policy in the UN discussions on Nagorno Karabakh in March this year was possible thanks to the active position of such EU members as Poland, Romania and Baltic states. In May this year Poland and Sweden offered to simplify visa regime and strengthen the relations with such post-Soviet countries as Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Another important indicator is the expansion of Poland’s relations with GUAM. Polish President Lech Kaczyński’s statement during the bilateral meetings in Paris, within the framework of EU-Mediterranean countries summit supporting Azerbaijan’s position may be assessed as another answer to the question what Poland can do for our country. I think that there is enough unused potential both in political and economic spheres and the atmosphere of mutual confidence, sincere and business relations between the presidents of the two countries will raise Azerbaijan-Poland relations to a higher level.
-In the first half of 2008 Azerbaijan-Poland relations were very dynamic in terms of high-level mutual visits. Will this rate continue till the end of the year?
In February this year President Ilham Aliyev paid the second official visit to Poland within the past three years. The heads of states had productive talks, important documents were signed during the visit. In April-June Azerbaijan’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, National Security and Interior Affairs visited Poland. Chairman of Polish Senate participated in the 90th jubilee of Azerbaijani Parliament, First Lady of Poland came to Baku to attend the international conference “The role of women in cross-cultural dialogue” in June. The third meeting of Azerbaijan-Poland intergovernmental economic commission is planned to take place in September-October in Warsaw. Polish president will also attend the 4th Energy Summit in Baku in November. You see both sides are interested in preserving tempo and dynamics of the relations.
-On what stage is the establishment of Sarmatiya-2 Company? Is it possible to say that the energy summit planned to be held in Baku in November will make contributions to this issue?
-As these issues are still on the stage of preparation, I would not like to make predictions that can surpass the developments and opinions of experts. Suffice it to say that after the 1st Energy Summit chaired by Azerbaijani President in Krakow in May 2007 the interest in the idea of delivering Caspian’s energy resources to Europe by alternative ways aroused and the European Union has taken interest in this project more seriously. The increase of the number of participants in the following summits is the display of this interest. During Ukrainian President’s visit to Baku Azerbaijan once more demonstrated that its position on the idea of new oil pipeline is unchangeable. Taking all this into account we can say that a number of important decisions will be made during Baku summit in November.
-Poland has held two national exhibitions in Baku up to now. How have these exhibitions influenced the bilateral economic relations?
-Undoubtedly, each exhibition is the important indicator of a country’s economic opportunities and potential. On the other hand, such exhibitions offer opportunities to the producers and exporters to establish closer and direct relations. In this respect, Polish exhibitions held in Baku have made influence on the economic cooperation and increase of trade turnover between the two countries. I regret that our consumers have not paid enough attention to Poland’s food industry meeting high ecological requirements or light industry with high-quality and relatively cheap products. Besides, Azerbaijan is more known in Poland as a country of oil and gas and this casts shadow on the opportunities of cooperation in other spheres. Transport-related problems also pose some obstacles in the intensive implementation of economic relations.
-Does Azerbaijan also plan to hold similar exhibitions demonstrating its economic opportunities in Poland?
The next meeting of Azerbaijan-Poland Intergovernmental Commission will be held in Warsaw in October-September of the current year. Within the framework of that event, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economic Development plans to demonstrate an exhibition reflecting the development of various spheres of the country’s economy over the last couple of years. Besides, Poland attaches great significance to the activity of this commission. Polish Deputy Prime Minister Pavlak has recently been appointed the chairman of the joint economic commission.
-What projects are implemented in the humanitarian field? Are you satisfied with the research and development works carried out in Polish archives in regard to Azerbaijan at the beginning of the twentieth century?
Considerable progresses have been made in this field since the Embassy was opened in Poland. Close relations have been established between Baku Slavic University and Warsaw and Poznan universities. Rector of Baku Slavic University, Professor Kamal Abdulla has twice been to Poland in this respect. The Polish delegation led by Rector of Warsaw University visited Baku in May, conducted meetings at Baku Slavic University and other higher institutions and discussed the ways of mutual cooperation. Azerbaijani language is taught at Warsaw University at present. Research and development works in Polish archives in regard to Azerbaijan at the beginning of the twentieth century are possible to be carried out individually. We also do our best to help our historians and philologists in this work within the bounds of possibility. For instance, our Embassy had considerable services in finding out Nasiman Yagublu’s monography devoted to Azerbaijan-Poland relations in twenties-thirties of the last century. We are also going to publish M. A. Rasulzadeh’s book “Azerbaijan in struggle for independence” translated into Polish in Warsaw in 1938. We will make every possible endeavor to continue this work henceforth.
-What historical points have been reflected in the book dedicated to Azerbaijan People’s Republic published by you?
My book entitled “Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference” have been published in Baku this year. In April, 1919, the Azerbaijani delegation led by the Parliament’s Chairman A. Topchubashov paid a visit to Paris and published a number of booklets and brochures in English and French for the purpose of closely introducing their state to the European community and representatives of political circles. I’ve translated one of those books from English and published. I’ve always interested in the history of our first republic and I continue my research and development works in Polish archives in my spare times.
Alex Lech Bajan Polish American RAQport Inc. 2004 North Monroe Street Arlington Virginia 22207 Washington DC Area USA TEL: 703-528-0114 TEL2: 703-652-0993 FAX: 703-940-8300 sms: 703-485-6619 EMAIL: Polonia@raqport.com
Irena Sendlerowa at age 97 save about 2,500 Jewish children see the new restitution Questions from the Jews,
View guano's mapTaken in a place with no name (See more photos or videos here)She saved 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto in WWII. (Large photo shows Irena in 2005 at age 95)
Irena Sendlerowa, a Polish social worker, was born on February 15, 1910, in Warsaw. During World War II, she was an activist of the Polish Underground and Polish anti-Holocaust resistance in Warsaw, where she helped save about 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto by providing them with false documents and finding hiding places in individual and group children houses out of the Ghetto.
During the World War II German occupation of Poland, she lived in Warsaw while working for the city's Social Welfare Department. She started helping Jews a long time before the Warsaw Ghetto was established. Helping Jews was very risky. In German-occupied Poland, all household members were punished by death if a hidden Jew was found in their house. This was the most severe legislation in occupied Europe. In December of 1942, the newly created Zegota, a council to aid Jews, nominated her to head its children's department. As an employee of the Social Welfare Department, she had a special permit to enter the Warsaw Ghetto, where she wore a Star of David as a sign of solidarity with the Jewish people and so as not to call attention to herself. Very small children she could smuggle out in a bag. Others were taught to cling tightly to her leg, and she walked out with them hidden under her skirts.
She cooperated with the Children's Section of the Municipal Administration, linked with the RGO (Central Welfare Council), a Polish Relief Organization remaining under German supervision. She organized the smuggling of Jewish children from the Ghetto, carrying them out, and placing them with either Polish families, the Warsaw orphanage of the Sisters of the Family of Mary, or Catholic convents such as the Sisters Little Servants of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mary at Turkowice and Chotomowo. She kept lists of the names, hidden in jars buried in her garden, in order to keep track of original and new identities.
Arrested in 1943 by the Gestapo, she was severely tortured and sentenced to death. Zegota saved her by bribing the German guards on the way to her execution. Officially, she was listed on public bulletin boards as among those executed. Even in hiding, she continued her work for the Jewish children.
In 1965, she was recognized by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Among the Nations, confirmed in 1983 by the Israeli Supreme Court.
In 1999 Norm Conard, a high school teacher from Pittsburg, Kansas, encouraged four students to investigate the life of Irena Sendler. As a result of their findings, the students created a play, entitled "Life in a jar", which presented the heroic acts Mrs. Sendler. As of November 2006, there were over 200 performances: at first in Kansas, then all around the United States and ultimately in Europe.
On October 10, 2003, Sendlerowa received the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest civilian decoration. She also was awarded the Commanders Cross by the Israeli Institute.
On March 14, 2007, Sendlerowa was honoured by Poland's government. At a special session, the upper house of parliament unanimously approved a resolution honouring Ms Sendlerowa for organising the "rescue of the most defenseless victims of the Nazi ideology: the Jewish children."
Polish President Lech Kacyzinski said she was a "great hero who can be justly named for the Nobel Peace Prize". Comments guano says:
Irena in 1943 after her escape from Pawiak prison.
"No one can ever repay Lola Herz for what she lost." As a Polish American from Arlington VA I have to say Mrs. Herz Please ask the government in Israel to pay you any retribution.
Isrzeli Government did collect on you behalf Billions from German and Switzerland and Austria go after them or go After the Soviet Union Poland did not cause the War and we were VICTIMS as the part the polish population the Jewish people.
Why the Israeli government did not paid you from 100 billions dollars from Germany and 10 billions dollars paid by Swiss and 5 billions paid by Austria
Where is the money the Israel Government got already?
Why Poland have to pay for the Hitler's war? We did help so many Jews during the war! And Please have a mercy for the Polish People and Poland. Ask the Bankers in London and new York which they did not lift the finger to hell during the war and there was only one Polish Organization Zegota to help the Jews during the war As you remember. Do not listen to the rich money hungry lawyers wants you do not for you but for them!
Poland is still poor country which help the Jews for 1000 years. And there is no moral or legal right to ask Poland today do pay anything.
I wish you long life as Irena Sendlerowa, a Polish social worker, was born on February 15, 1910, in Warsaw. During World War II, she was an activist of the Polish Underground and Polish anti-Holocaust resistance in Warsaw, where she helped save about 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto by providing them with false documents and finding hiding places in individual and group children houses out of the Ghetto
Please all see the video and understand the situation right after the War then the Soviets were the problem and the Polish People. Poles they did help the Jews.
Mossadeq and Oil Nationalization From 1949 on, sentiment for nationalization of Iran's oil industry grew. In 1949 the Majlis approved the First Development Plan (1948-55), which called for comprehensive agricultural and industrial development of the country. The Plan Organization was established to administer the program, which was to be financed in large part from oil revenues. Politically conscious Iranians were aware, however, that the British government derived more revenue from taxing the concessionaire, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC--formerly the Anglo-Persian Oil Company), than the Iranian government derived from royalties. The oil issue figured prominently in elections for the Majlis in 1949, and nationalists in the new Majlis were determined to renegotiate the AIOC agreement. In November 1950, the Majlis committee concerned with oil matters, headed by Mossadeq, rejected a draft agreement in which the AIOC had offered the government slightly improved terms. These terms did not include the fifty-fifty profit-sharing provision that was part of other new Persian Gulf oil concessions.
Subsequent negotiations with the AIOC were unsuccessful, partly because General Ali Razmara, who became prime minister in June 1950, failed to persuade the oil company of the strength of nationalist feeling in the country and in the Majlis. When the AIOC finally offered fifty-fifty profit-sharing in February 1951, sentiment for nationalization of the oil industry had become widespread. Razmara advised against nationalization on technical grounds and was assassinated in March 1951 by Khalil Tahmasebi, a member of the militant Fadayan-e Islam. On March 15, the Majlis voted to nationalize the oil industry. In April the shah yielded to Majlis pressure and demonstrations in the streets by naming Mossadeq prime minister.
Oil production came to a virtual standstill as British technicians left the country, and Britain imposed a worldwide embargo on the purchase of Iranian oil. In September 1951, Britain froze Iran's sterling assets and banned export of goods to Iran. It challenged the legality of the oil nationalization and took its case against Iran to the International Court of Justice at The Hague. The court found in Iran's favor, but the dispute between Iran and the AIOC remained unsettled. Under United States pressure, the AIOC improved its offer to Iran. The excitement generated by the nationalization issue, anti-British feeling, agitation by radical elements, and the conviction among Mossadeq's advisers that Iran's maximum demands would, in the end, be met, however, led the government to reject all offers. The economy began to suffer from the loss of foreign exchange and oil revenues.
Meanwhile, Mossadeq's growing popularity and power led to political chaos and eventual United States intervention. Mossadeq had come to office on the strength of support from the National Front and other parties in the Majlis and as a result of his great popularity. His popularity, growing power, and intransigence on the oil issue were creating friction between the prime minister and the shah. In the summer of 1952, the shah refused the prime minister's demand for the power to appoint the minister of war (and, by implication, to control the armed forces). Mossadeq resigned, three days of pro-Mossadeq rioting followed, and the shah was forced to reappoint Mossadeq to head the government.
As domestic conditions deteriorated, however, Mossadeq's populist style grew more autocratic. In August 1952, the Majlis acceded to his demand for full powers in all affairs of government for a six-month period. These special powers were subsequently extended for a further six-month term. He also obtained approval for a law to reduce, from six years to two years, the term of the Senate (established in 1950 as the upper house of the Majlis), and thus brought about the dissolution of that body. Mossadeq's support in the lower house of the Majlis (also called the Majlis) was dwindling, however, so on August 3, 1953, the prime minister organized a plebiscite for the dissolution of the Majlis, claimed a massive vote in favor of the proposal, and dissolved the legislative body.
The administration of President Harry S Truman initially had been sympathetic to Iran's nationalist aspirations. Under the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, however, the United States came to accept the view of the British government that no reasonable compromise with Mossadeq was possible and that, by working with the Tudeh, Mossadeq was making probable a communist-inspired takeover. Mossadeq's intransigence and inclination to accept Tudeh support, the Cold War atmosphere, and the fear of Soviet influence in Iran also shaped United States thinking. In June 1953, the Eisenhower administration approved a British proposal for a joint Anglo-American operation, code-named Operation Ajax, to overthrow Mossadeq. Kermit Roosevelt of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) traveled secretly to Iran to coordinate plans with the shah and the Iranian military, which was led by General Fazlollah Zahedi.
In accord with the plan, on August 13 the shah appointed Zahedi prime minister to replace Mossadeq. Mossadeq refused to step down and arrested the shah's emissary. This triggered the second stage of Operation Ajax, which called for a military coup. The plan initially seemed to have failed, the shah fled the country, and Zahedi went into hiding. After four days of rioting, however, the tide turned. On August 19, pro-shah army units and street crowds defeated Mossadeq's forces. The shah returned to the country. Mossadeq was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for trying to overthrow the monarchy, but he was subsequently allowed to remain under house arrest in his village outside Tehran until his death in 1967. His minister of foreign affairs, Hosain Fatemi, was sentenced to death and executed. Hundreds of National Front leaders, Tudeh Party officers, and political activists were arrested; several Tudeh army officers were also sentenced to death.
US wants Poles to visit, spend lots of money By ZUZIA DANIELSKI | Associated Press Writer 12:36 PM EDT, June 30, 2008 WARSAW, Poland - Time to shop until you drop across the Atlantic, the U.S. embassy says. In an unusual appeal, the United States is enticing Poles to visit and spend money this summer in hopes of propping up its faltering economy. The campaign comes as the Polish currency hit a historic high -- reaching 2.1194 zloty to the dollar on Monday.
"When you visit the States, bring an extra suitcase so you can return to Poland with a suitcase full of new items," U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, is quoted as saying on the embassy's Web site.
The invitation is a sea change in bilateral relations. For most of the 20th century, impoverished Poles traveled to the United States in search of any possible job. Now they are being seen as a source of increased revenue.
The idea was a Warsaw initiative, said embassy spokesman Chris Snipes. He was not sure whether similar promotions had been undertaken by other U.S. embassies around the world.
By VANESSA GERA The Associated Press While inviting Polish tourists, the embassy makes no mention of easing U.S. visa requirements for Poles. Warsaw, a staunch U.S. ally, has been demanding for years that the visa requirement be ended, along with the US$100 fee for the lengthy procedure.
The embassy did note that the average waiting time for a visa was down to two days.
"The zloty is particularly strong and it's a good time to travel to the States," Snipes said.
WARSAW, Poland -- Not so long ago, the U.S. enjoyed something akin to a mythical status in Poland. Ronald Reagan was a hero, the dollar was king and Washington was a trusted guardian against Russia.
But that starry-eyed idealism has eroded, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the tough stance Poland has taken in negotiating a missile defense deal with Washington.
The two allies announced Wednesday that they agreed tentatively to base American missile interceptors in Poland, part of a planned U.S. missile shield against Iran. But contentiousness that surfaced over nearly 18 months of negotiations belied the fact that the U.S. was in talks with one of its closest friends in Europe.
"Many problems in the bilateral relationship became apparent during the missile defense talks," said Maria Wagrowska, a security expert with the Warsaw-based Center for International Relations. "And they are not only political _ they are also psychological."
She and other analysts agree that if the U.S. had tried to get a deal before the Iraq war, it would have been much easier.
Today, Polish politicians feel burned by the Bush administration, largely because Warsaw's staunch military support for the U.S. war in Iraq failed to win substantial contracts for Polish companies in Iraq's reconstruction, as many here had expected.
"Poland took an idealistic approach when it decided to support the U.S. in Iraq," Wagrowska said. "Now there is a much more reasonable, commercial approach because of the disappointment that we didn't earn anything in Iraq."
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