Poland Remains Integral Part of NATO Amid Cabinet Shuffle

In recent days, there has been much disinformation concerning the cabinet reshuffle in Poland. Some leftist publications, particularly Gazeta Wyborcza, published anti-American falsehoods, vacuous claims, and ill-founded insinuations concerning Minister Antoni Macierewicz, the Deputy Leader of Law and Justice and the 37th Minister of National Defense.

At a time when many members of NATO have chosen to scale back their role, Poland, under Minister Macierewicz's leadership, had exerted itself as a champion and an integral part of the Alliance's war on terror. Poland finds itself on the border of Russia, and understands better than any other member of the Alliance how critical the idea of collective security is. But true governance is more than rhetoric — it is action. Minister Macierewicz made clear to the world that a unified Poland is the anchor to the Alliance. The recent meeting of NATO in Poland showed how successful the security strategy of Poland truly is.

Gazeta Wyborcza often bases its assertions upon those of a disgraced former Polish left-of-center politician, Radosław Sikorski, who until his latest scandal helped lead Civic Platform, presently an opposition party. Many in the United States recognize Mr. Sikorski for his irresponsible rhetoric, having described Poland’s alliance with the United States as “worthless” and “bulls***.” He infamously stated: “We’ll get into a conflict with the Russians and the Germans, and we’ll think that everything is super because we gave the Americans a b*** j**. Losers. Complete losers.”

Interestingly, it was the result of irresponsible policy crafted by Mr. Sikorski and others, coupled with the conservative pro-growth policies of Law and Justice, that led to the latter winning the presidency overwhelmingly, and, subsequently becoming the first party to receive an absolute majority in free post-War parliamentary elections.

Minister Macierewicz knows that the most critical part of Poland's strength in the fight against terror is its own national unity. He understands that success in ensuring Poland's security is based on its national defense. As the Deputy Leader of Poland’s governing party, Minister Macierewicz looks forward to promulgating this vision, which comes at a watershed moment in transatlantic relations.

Edmund Janniger is the Director of the International Security Forum, an institution under the patronage of the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Poland. His work at the Ministry of National Defense encompasses academic affairs and global engagement. Mr. Janniger holds the record as the youngest sub-cabinet official in Poland’s history. In the Parliamentary Office, Mr. Janniger has been the Deputy Chief of Staff to Minister Antoni Macierewicz and, during the 2015 elections, was the Deputy Campaign Manager for Law and Justice in the 10th District. Mr. Janniger has a proven track record directing complex political and policy-related matters. He holds an adjunct appointment at Marconi University, and was elected by the full Rutgers University Senate to three terms on its Executive Committee. Mr. Janniger splits his time between the Warsaw and New York metropolitan areas, has one young dog, and is an avid hiker. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.