The US Air Force just landed in Poland, very quietly, accounting for a missile defense roll-out with little announcement in the local press. Military staff failed to arrive on schedule to boost the local economy. Reportedly, only ten Air Force officials landed. “Yeah, but they came with 10 F-16s fighter planes,” said one Polish-American security official.

Of course, the US Airforce isn’t storming Poland while their citizens continue to be denied Visas to the Land of Opportunity. The Poles, after all, are NATO allies serving in the War on Terror through a decade of two wars.

Besides the 10 F-16s and some 250 support staff expected in the town of Łask, the towns of Krzesiny and Powidz have also signed up to support the Yanks, welcoming a boost to the local economy. What are Poles expecting in addition to the F-16 fighter-planes and happy-go-lucky Americans? The Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane to be stationed East – close to Russia.

After all, it is Russia that vocally disagreed with the need for a missile defense shield in NATO Poland. And despite Polish petitions to install missile defense, and despite US promises to add the valuable deterrent, the US has sided with Russia, drawing stinging criticism from Polish President Komorowski in August of 2012.

But the US is not concerned with drawing flattery from its NATO allies; its concern, as always, is preparing against the worst case scenario – here in Poland, even in 2012 - a Russian invasion.

In 2011, Russia staged aggressive wargames in neighboring Lithuania in tandum with strong rebukes to the Polish minority. It called for the abolishment of the Polish language teaching in the country. The wargames simulated an invasion. The Polish minority in Lithuania has pressed its cause. It is important to remember that for Russia, Eastern Europe is just another satellite state at least as much as Georgia (which it recently invaded in 2008) or Afghanistan (1979-1988). Boasting a population of some 40 million, Poland, separated from Russia by Ukraine and Belarus, might believe that it’s not counted as an extension of the Soviet states – especially as it is a loyal and productive NATO member. Perhaps Poles forget they share a border with Russia, playing host to the naval port of Kalingrad.

Since August of 2012, Visa-free travel between Russia’s Kalingrad Oblast and it’s EU neighbors has been offered. Polish residents on the Baltic Seaboard as far as Gdask may take advantage of the liberties; and Russians may travel a few kilometers into Poland.

Maybe that’s why the Americans reneged the missile defense shield – too close to Russia to secure.

Whatever the case, as this picture suggests, the Airforce sure is here now. Pay close attention, the plane marked ‘Polish Air Force’ is the Hercules C-130 cargo plane predicted to land by the Polish Press in July. The Hercules, a descendant of the famous C-54 which in 1949 broke the Soviet blockade of Berlin, serves as a gruesome reminder of the backbreaking potential of a rugged cargo-plane in Eastern Europe. In addition to paratroopers, the turboprop military transport can fulfill wildfire fighting duties as well as reconnaissance. It’s ideal for insulting the enemy; and serves as a sobering reminder that the US can invade Russia with far greater finesse than Russia may ever invade Europe.

The US Congress last week passed legislation against Russians suspected in the torture of Andrei Magnitsky. Russia promised offense, taking issue with American legislators who keep prisoners locked away in GITMO Cuba as subjects of terror. In the time being, a botched arms deal to the tune of some 4 billion with normally compliant Syria preceded the ousting of General Nikolai Makarov for corruption charges, dumping valuable military assets without recouping their value. Which, all in all, signals that Russian officials are dealing with having to tighten their belts and conserve cash. After all, that is what the Magnitsky legislation calls for: asset redistribution.

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen botched Russian arms deals in Syria, corruption rattling top Russian brass, American legislators declaring war on suspicious Russians, and the Air Force showing off its plan of attack – a CARGO plane. Then Thanksgiving and the day after that when the Polish Press announced that the Congress building nearly averted a 4 ton TNT attack; that LGBTA websites across the land have been hacked and that Gays and Lesbians should change their passwords; and that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposes to arrange a State Tribunal for the twin brother of fallen President Lech Kaczyński for suspicions of corruption. Mr. Kaczyński served as his brother’s Prime Minister and is still a leading candidate against Tusk power in Poland. This is despite an ostentatious grieving period that has seen the former Prime Minister concoct conspiracy after conspiracy to atone for the death of his brother and some 90 serving senior cabinet ministers in a Tupolev 154 in Smolensk, Russia, on April 10 of 2010.

Whatever will happen next?

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Thanks to the late-headed goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal was able to claim a 1-0 victory against the Czech Republic on Thursday, which in turn sends them into the semifinals of Euro 2012.

The first half of the match was considered disappointing for the first quarterfinal match of the competition. Early chances by the Czech Republic only came from corner kicks, which they were unable to capitalize on due to very poor deliveries.

Portugal seemed to get into the game later in the first half, when Ronaldo fired a beautiful shot that Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech was able to save with an amazing dive. The goal would not have counted if it had gone in, due to referee Howard Webb stopping play mid-pass that was not heard by the Portuguese forward.

In the final minute of the first half, Ronaldo came up again after handling a great cross from Raul Meireles. He gained control of the ball and kicked it straight into the post, the only thing that could stop him from giving Portugal the lead. The chance gave off a strong sense of determination from Portugal, who went into halftime in control of the game even though both teams have not yet scored.

Portugal came out ready to play, with Hugo Almeida missing a header by inches only a couple minutes into the second half. Ronaldo showed up yet again five minutes later with a close chance, taking a bending free-kick that struck the post again instead of hitting the back of the net.

The Czech Republic did not seem as though they were trying to take any offensive chances; Portugal controlled much of the possession throughout the early part of the second half, and the Czech’s seemed to stay on the defensive no matter what. The only real chance for the Czech Republic came in at the 60 minute mark, when Vaclav Pilar managed to speed around the Portuguese defenders with ease, only to give the ball away with a disappointing attempt at a cross.

After several more attempts from Portugal, which were all wide of the net or beautifully saved by Cech, Ronaldo was finally able to capitalize in the 80th minute after a great cross from Joao Moutinho. Ronaldo found room and headed the ball directly into the ground, which in turn ricocheted over the diving Petr Cech and into the top of the goal.

This lone goal was all that was needed in order to send Portugal into the semifinals. For a team that has never won a title at the Euro’s, Portugal heads into the semifinals as an underdog that shows no signs of letting this chance slip through their fingers.

Portugal will play in their semifinal match on June 27 against the winner of the quarterfinal match between Spain and France, which is scheduled for June 23.

Image Courtesy of  Rui Alexandre Araujo / Shutterstock.com

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According to a report put out by the European Central Bank on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, none of the eight countries that are waiting to join the euro currency are ready. Most countries in the group have only been waiting since 2004 or 2007 but Sweden has been waiting since 1995.

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden are the eight countries that are members of the European Union but are not a part of the Eurozone – meaning they are not using the euro as their currency. Seventeen countries are currently using the euro, including Greece, although there have been discussions that it may have to leave the Eurozone. Currently the United Kingdom and Denmark are not using the euro either – instead they are using the pound sterling and krone respectively – but the decision to not use the euro was theirs, not the European Central Bank’s.

The United Kingdom opted out of the euro by negotiating an exception within the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. Joining the euro was heavily opposed by most of the United Kingdom, although its close neighbor, the Republic of Ireland, has adopted the euro. Denmark was able to opt out of the euro as one of the four conditions of the Edinburgh Agreement in 1992.

The European Central Bank must report on the progress of these eight countries every two years. So far it appears as if only Latvia will be able to join the euro currency by the next assessment in 2014. According to the bank, “in none of the eight countries examined, [is] the legal framework fully compatible with all requirements for the adoption of the euro.” They also claimed, “incompatibilities remain regarding central bank independence” in all of the countries.

Additionally Latvia and Lithuania are the only two countries of the eight currently taking part in the exchange rate mechanism II for more than two years which is required to be a part of the Eurozone.

Many of the countries’ economies are doing better than current eurozone countries. Seven of the eight countries – the exception being Hungary – have a debt-to-GDP ratio under 60% which is the Eurozone limit. Currently Greece’s ratio of debt-to-GDP is 165.3% and Italy, Ireland, and Portugal had ratios last year above 100%.

According to a statement from Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland earlier this May, Poland is still interested in joining the Eurozone even though the euro has been damaged by the current debt crisis.

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In an opening match that that the bookies believed was going to be an unexciting and uneventful opener for the start of Euro 2012, Greece was able to come away with a point in a 1-1 draw against the host nation Poland. The game turned into a dramatic 90 minutes of international soccer. Thanks to the help of Dimitrios Salpigidis, who was substituted into the game at the start of the second half, Greece was able to save themselves from molding Group A into the predicted shape.

The first 10 minutes of the match were completely dominated by Poland, who took advantage of the weakly defended right side of the field. In the meantime, Greece tried to keep up with the barrage of offense that the host nation kept throwing at them. Poland was finally able to capitalize in minute 17 when Lukasz Piszczek was able to get through the Greece defense and cross the ball into the box. It was then headed in by Robert Lewandowski.

Greece seemed to be heading down a slippery slope when Sokratis Papastathopoulos received a yellow card in minute 35, then another in minute 44, resulting in him receiving a red card and being sent off the field. Both calls were considered extremely harsh due to the lack of justification for each call, and the first half ended on a very disappointing note for the losing Greece side.

The second half began with an instant substitution made by Greece. Salpigidis was brought in for Sotiris Ninis, leaving three attacking players out on the field even though they were playing a man down. It only took five minutes for the substitute to make his presence known by hopping on a loose ball that was poorly played by Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, and hammering it into the net to tie the game up at 1-1.

The tying goal led to a change in tactics for both teams, and to several minutes of frustrating soccer for the audience. Greece began playing a game of attrition, hoping to come out of the game with a draw. Poland, on the other hand, continued to press on the attack even though they were unable to capitalize on several chances.

When Poland’s luck seemed at its lowest point, they were struck with another blow. Goalkeeper Szczesny was shown a red card for completely missing the ball in a tackle attempt, which in turn brought down the Greece forward Salpigidis in the penalty box and gave Greece a penalty kick. Poland’s second-string goalkeeper, Przemyslaw Tyton, came into the game without warming up and was about to face a penalty shot that could end the game early for his team. But in the end, the 25-year-old goalkeeper was able to save the penalty shot taken by Giorgos Karagounis and keep Poland in the game with 20 minutes left to play.

Although both teams had their chances, in the end both were not able to finish, leaving the game at a 1-1 draw.

Almost all of the action in the game came from players that started the match on the bench. If every game is as entertaining as the one played between Poland and Greece in the tournament opener, this is going to be an amazing month of international soccer.

Poland’s next match will be against the group-leader Russia on Tuesday, while Greece faces off against the Czech Republic earlier on the same day.

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The European Championships, a showpiece event in the soccer calendar that comes around just once every four years, has rightfully been hitting the headlines this week; however it has been for all the wrong reasons. Hosted in the Eastern European nations of Poland and Ukraine, serious concerns have been raised about the possibility of racist abuse against both visiting players and fans by a minority of local ‘fans’.

The tournament organizer, UEFA, has faced a high level of criticism for allowing these countries to host the tournament when racist and prejudicial behavior is displayed with alarming frequency in their stadiums. The BBC’s ‘Panorama’ show conducted a research into the behavior in stadiums of both Poland and Ukraine and the resulting television documentary shocked viewers. The documentary showed black players being subjected to monkey chants and thrown bananas, whilst some Asian fans were brutally attacked by other fans in the stadium and were given very little assistance by the stewards present at the game. There were also frequent incidents of anti-Semitism and pro-Nazi attitudes that also extended outside of the stadiums.

Whilst UEFA president Michel Platini has vehemently defended their decision to host the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, other soccer luminaries have condemned the decision and taken their own action. Former England centre-back Sol Campbell is one such person and has warned England fans of all ethnicities to stay at home and watch the tournament on television rather than risking abuse and violence by travelling to support the team. Controversial Italian striker Mario Balotelli also voiced discontent with UEFA’s decision, stating that if he is subjected to racist abuse whilst playing at the European Championships, he will simply walk off the pitch.

In the wake of these statements and similar comments from footballers of both past and present, Platini confirmed that any player walking off of the pitch because of racist abuse will be booked. Platini then qualified this by saying that referees would have the discretion to end a match prematurely if they believe racist abuse is occurring. Although Platini’s fairly cavalier attitude to a complex problem has won him very few fans in the last month, the ire of some fans was cooled by his declaration that referees would be able to stop matches early, and should do so, if witnessing racist abuse from fans.

This lessening of tensions did not last long however, with preparations for the opening game of the tournament between Poland and Greece overshadowed by claims the Dutch team were subject to racist chanting during their first open training session in the Polish city of Krakow. Although the Dutch FA will not file a complaint with UEFA, due to the presence of political chanting at the time also, the case has raised an ominous shadow over the entire tournament. All eyes will now be on both the training sessions and matches of the likes of England and France, both of whom have a large number of black players in their squads.

Needless to say, if there are any more reported cases of racism in either country, whether it be in a stadium and directed at players, or on the streets against fans of the visiting teams, strength will be lent to the condemnations of UEFA for allowing a tournament such as this to be hosted in these countries. Platini is likely to bear the brunt of these accusations and will not be able to use ignorance as an excuse, with concerns about racism in the Eastern European leagues having been well publicized for years now.

With UEFA firmly in the firing line should any further incidents occur, Platini and Co. will be watching on anxiously as the tournament moves into the group stages and will be hoping that the tournament will be remembered for its football and not its off-the-field controversies.

Image Courtesy Kancelaria Premiera 

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First of a four part feature as we look at the top young players who will grace the eight stadiums in Poland and Ukraine this summer, some will make the final grade for their countries this year but some may not even make the final squads, going to show the growing competition for places in 23-man squads is ever increasing. First up, Group A, consisting of hosts Poland, 2004 winners Greece, Russia and Czech Republic.

Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal & Poland)

Ok, so most of you know who Szczesny is, he’s become Arsenal’s No.1 over the past 18 months, and has become one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League. Considering his age, it’s clear to see that Szczesny will be a star for the long-term future, but he’s included in our feature because it will be his first appearance at a major international tournament.

His shot-stopping abilities have kept Arsenal in many games and have saved them many points over the course of the season, and his relaxed personality has even endeared him to fans of other clubs.

Poland face an uphill task to qualify from their group, but not an impossible one. The Czech’s have fallen from grace over time, Russia are unpredictable and Greece do not have much to offer if the World Cup is anything to go by. But if Poland are to qualify from Group A, Szczesny will have a big hand (or two) in whether they do or they don’t.

Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund & Poland)

At the other end of the pitch, there is a rapidly developing striker who could cause a stir in Europe this summer. Despite being 23, Lewandowski has been around for a few years now and first came to knowledge of the top European teams when at Lech Poznan, scoring 32 goals in 58 games, which was enough for Borussia Dortmund to snap the Pole up in 2010. Since then he’s become a proven goalscorer in the Bundesliga, with 27 goals in just over 60 appearances for Dortmund.

On the international scene, Lewandowski has also impressed, making his Poland debut at just 19 and scoring 13 goals for his country. It is almost certain Lewandowski will lead the line for Poland this summer, and if Szczesny can do the business at one end, Robert could be the man to lead Poland into the knockouts.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke 04 & Greece)

It is depressing to think Papadopoulos is younger than me, yet almost certain to play at the European Championships this summer. The defender has impressed many around Europe in the last few years, and whilst at Schalke the 6 foot centre-back has been linked with plenty of top clubs around the continent. He’d only made 12 appearances for Olympiakos when the German side took him on, but Papadopoulos has put in several classy performances for Schalke recently and made his international debut last year.

Despite just seven international caps, Papadopoulos is one of the highest rated defenders in Europe and I’m almost certain he’ll travel to Poland/Ukraine this summer, perhaps his performances will finally guarantee him that move to a bigger club.

Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow & Russia)

Alan Dzagoev is only 21, yet it seems like we’ve heard his name thrown around as a top talent for years. He’s already made over 100 appearances for CSKA Moscow, and wasn’t even 18 when named the best young player of the year in Russia’s top league in 2008. The creative midfielder has been linked with Man United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona and almost every other top club in Europe, but he has remained loyal to Moscow for now.

With 18 caps and four goals for Russia, Dzagoev is improving all the time and will no doubt be the cog in Russia’s midfield this summer, with plenty of creativity around him, it could be another successful Euro’s for the Russian side in 2012.

Tomas Necid (CSKA Moscow & Czech Republic)

They must be breeding them well in Moscow, as our final player to watch from Group A also plays for CSKA. Tomas Necid may not be as well known as Dzagoev, but his impact in Russia is just as well-known. The 22-year old started at Slavia Prague and impressed enough for CSKA to buy him in 2009. He has not been prolific in Russia, but 19 goals in 68 games is steady progress for someone who isn’t guaranteed a regular starting place.

He’s got seven in 25 for Czech Republic but has yet to participate in a major tournament, but with Czech Republic struggling for prolific strikers, it would not surprise us to see Necid heavily involved this summer and could be the man to fire his nation to better things in 2012.

Image Courtesy of   Andrey Yurlov / Shutterstock.com

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After 14 years of total success in Miami, the Ultra Music Festival is coming to Europe. Last year, 150 000 people attended this huge event, headlined by mega stars such as David Guetta, Tiesto, and many others.

The popularity of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is at an all-time global high with DJ’s being considered today’s rock stars. Over the past years, the genre has established itself as the strongest one out there, with DJ’s such as David Guetta, Tiesto, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia and being on top of the charts Worldwide.

Even the music industry itself has started to accept EDM, which became obvious at this year’s Grammies where multiple DJ’s were nominated, live performances by David Guetta and Deadmaus5 and with Skrillex winning three out of the five Grammies he was nominated for.

The Ultra Music Festival has over the years become the #1 festival in the world for EDM, with an attendance of 150 000 visitors coming to Miami to take part of what is known as the biggest party on the planet. This year’s Miami festival, to be held in March, sold out in record time with sell-outs in all of the previous years. The festival now takes the step further to become a worldwide concept, with it’s presence on four (4) continents – North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

- Warsaw has an incredible strong dance music scene. Added to that, its strategic location leaves it surrounded by no less than 21 countries within a radius of 1 000 km. This is Poland’s chance to play host to much more then Euro 2012, says Lars Holmgren, VP marketing of UMF Europe, the company organizing the event.

The UMF Poland will be held on July 13-14 at the Sluzeviec Hippodrome, Warsaw, and is expected to be the biggest dance event ever in the country and the region. More than 100 DJ’s and artists will be performing on the festival’s six different stages. In the first phase lineup, several top acts are already confirmed, such as Avicii, Tiesto, Carl Cox & Friends and with many more to come.

About ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL & UMF WORLDWIDE: As the world’s most famous outdoor electronic music festival, ULTRA has won “Best Music Event” by the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) from 2005 to 2011, greatest, most diverse EDM line-ups year after year. With its new established festivals, UMF is present in USA, Korea, Poland, Argentina and Brasil, which makes it the first global EDM festival.

For up to date information regarding UMF Poland, follow online at:

http://www.umfpoland.com/  [http://www.umfpoland.com ]

http://www.facebook.com/UMFPolandOfficial

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/ultrafanpage

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Poland has been America’s historically staunch ally and fellow fighter for freedom, but despite the close ties between the two countries, the Polish are often denied entry to visit relatives in America. Citizens of every member of the EU can travel freely to the USA without a Visa except Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland. And Poland has paid her dues.

After World War II, and despite being a devout ally, the West conceded to the Soviets, and Poland was incorporated into the eastern bloc to be under the Kremlin yoke for the next five decades. Upon the demise of the USSR, Poland immediately became an ardent American supporter, restoring strong diplomatic relations that continue unheeded to this day.

Polish patriots seeking liberation from occupying forces of the 18th century contributed greatly to the American Revolution. “Father of the American Cavalry,” Casimir Pulaski, was given a national holiday for his prowess and saving the life of George Washington. A good friend of Thomas Jefferson, expat Taddeusz Kosciusko engineered fortifications to defend against the British. He would later leave his will toward black emancipation and education. Countless towns, bridges, parks, monuments, mountains and even a submarine have been dedicated to such Polish-American heroes of valor.

Continuing to align themselves with the West, and in effort to prove themselves militarily with NATO, Poland has greatly contributed toward America’s War on Terrorism. Poland deployed the fourth-most troops in the second Iraqi war, and currently has over 2,500 soldiers engaged in Afghanistan.

Controversially, Poland has hosted black CIA interrogation/torture sites against suspected members of Al-Qaeda. A complaint was filed by The European Court of Human Rights for failing to investigate the CIA prison. A criminal case was launched in 2008 and is still ongoing for crimes against humanity. Additionally, NATO-Poland has harassed Russia by approving American SM-3 missile bases to be built near the border with Belarus.

Even as a member of the UN, NATO and Schengen committee, Polish people must enter a costly, time consuming application process to visit America. With a sizable Polish Diaspora, many family members are denied the right to visit relative émigrés.

Poland is the only European country that avoided recent economic depression, and even rated a positive GDP growth in 2010. The majority of Polish visitors are not looking to overstay their Visas during a boom time in their home country. An enormous Polish diaspora (Polonia) exists outside her European borders. America harbors an estimated ten million citizens of Polish descent. Chicago alone has over 180,000 Polish-speaking residents.

In April of 2011, the Polish American Congress raised the issue enough to garner attention from Senator Mark Kirk who sponsored bill S. 497 and Congressman Mike Quigly wrote up the corresponding H.R. 959 to modify existing immigration restriction rates to include Poland on the Visa Waiver Program. Currently, the visa refusal rate is the standard for a nation to qualify for the VWP.

The bill seeks to replace the standard, using overstay rates as the deciding factor. Quigly testified before the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement Dec. 7. “This is an issue of fairness and equity for a longstanding friend and partner, Poland,” said Rep. Quigley. “Expansion of the Visa Waiver Program will improve our international diplomatic relationships, create jobs, stimulate the economy and strengthen national security. It’s time to expand outdated travel standards to include our proven allies.” VWP travelers spent more than 51 billion dollars in the U.S. That spending generated 512,000 jobs, 13 billion dollars in payroll and 7.8 billion dollars in taxes for the American economy.

Obama promised to sign both bills if they pass through their respective committees. “I am going to make this a priority,” Obama said, sitting alongside Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski. “I want to solve this issue before very long. My expectation is, is that this problem will be solved during my presidency. I am well aware that this is a source of irritation between two great friends and allies, and we should resolve it.”

The USA raised the standards of visitation in the post 9-11 world, and, with more than ten-percent of Poles being denied entry for suspicion they may overstay their Visa, they become disqualified from the VWP.

Grzegorz Kostrzewa-Zorbas, a former member of the Polish foreign affairs ministry, said, “Poland feels discriminated against,” Kostrzewa-Zorbas said, “differentiated from other allies of the United States around the world.”

“Will al-Qaeda penetrate America disguised as Polish peasants? Will the job market be flooded by unqualified, culturally alien workers from Poland? Of course not,” Kostrzewa-Zorbas said.

Contact members of your state’s Committee of the Judiciary to support the bill or become co-sponsor if they are not in the committee the bill was referred to, or sign the VISA Waiver Petition.

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