From Warsaw With Love, John Pomfret, author
This book is about an incident and a developing relationship between Poland and the United States with many ups and downs, that are far from well known. When six military personnel, too valuable to be captured because of the secrets they knew, were trapped in Iraq when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the United States asked the Poles to help rescue them. With a daring escape plan drawn up by a renegade Pole, that was more like a movie script, the men were rescued from Baghdad where they had been hiding out.
The Poles were always expert in espionage. They broke and deciphered Germany’s Enigma Code. This book explains in extraordinary detail, the unique alliance that developed between Poland and the United States, at the end of The Cold War. Before the Cold War ended, Poles spied on the United States for Russia, After, they spied on Russia and other enemy nations of the United States, for the United States. The United States wanted to establish Operation Unity as a way of working with their former enemies for their own benefit. The Poles were eager to comply.
The Poles worked hard to cultivate a friendship with the United States at the end of the Cold War. They wanted to join NATO and the European Union and believed, as the years passed, that the friendship would help, but they also believed they were like kinsmen, thinking alike. Unfortunately, the United States participants were not as magnanimous. However, the Poles were led to a more democratic society by the United States when they funded the country and trained their spies to work for us. Today, however, the country has moved further to the right and is less tolerant.
The Poles helped in Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and other countries to which America had no access. They warned us of a major terrorist attack on a vessel and were ignored. Then the attack on the Kohl occurred, and we were totally unprepared for it. The soldiers and agents who helped the USA during the Iraq War, were surprised that the same effort expended in Poland, to maintain the country by incorporating all sides, even enemies into the new Poland, was reversed in Iraq. The successful past experience in Poland was totally ignored even when the Poles suggested they use the same protocol. It is one of the reasons for the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan. There was no true shared experience as all former enemies were not given the chance to become friends, but instead were expunged. This created further enemies.
Poland engaged in clandestine efforts for the CIA and put themselves in personal danger in order to curry favor with the United States, in combination with its great respect for America. Ultimately, the United States betrayed those that helped them over the course of several Presidencies, from Clinton to Both Bushes, to Obama and Trump. The Poles and Poland were betrayed by Obama and Bush when they were called upon to help as the Polish government changed hands, which it often did as it matured. Ex-communists, former heroes, were condemned, and those involved in the LGBT community were condemned, as well. The leaders of the free world remained silent then, on the sidelines, in much the same way as they did with the invasion of Crimea by Russia. Oddly, the author chose to cast the worst light on the one least involved, you guessed it President Trump, and this behavior is getting to be a tiresome and disingenuous practice of liberal authors.
Poland was used as a site for Black Ops, which violated international law, but the poles were loyal to the USA and agreed to do it. Then they were betrayed by the very same people or organizations they risked their lives and reputations to help. When the leadership in Poland changed and ex-Communists who had helped the USA were persecuted, no one stepped forward to help them even though their betrayal exposed them to punishment. This occurred largely during the Bush and Obama administrations. Clinton was also not helpful, but he had at least paved the way for Poland’s entry into NATO. Although Trump was blamed by the author, as well, the die was pretty much cast for foreign policy when he took over.
There is a wealth of knowledge in these pages. It does not paint a pretty picture of the USA and its spy network or the behavior of its Security agencies. Although they wanted the help of the Poles and their excellent spy network, and they helped to build up their post-Cold War security programs, Americans thought that they were far superior to the Poles at everything. Often, however, it was the Americans whose arrogance made them seem incompetent, disloyal, and outpaced by their Polish counterparts. They behaved more like Ugly Americans, if the author is to be believed, and he documents much of the book very well.
The research was obviously extensive. I am not a student of history, although I enjoy learning about it, so much of what I read was foreign to me, at first. I had to do my own research as I read. I think it might have been an easier read had the book been better organized and edited, because like tying shoelaces, the steps are automatic. The author may have been well versed in all of the events, but readers need the gaps filled in, in a bit more orderly fashion.. The timeline is not linear as the narrative jumps back and forth describing varied missions and events, which sometimes made the message repetitive. In addition, the alphabet soup of names and places was very confusing, so perhaps a list of characters and places, with pronunciation and a brief description to refer to, would be helpful in the front or at the end of the print copy.
I was disappointed to learn of the deceptive behavior of America, of its disloyalty to those that offered aid to them in these nefarious endeavors, and of its cruel interrogation procedures. The book might require a second read, but it would be well worth it.