100 GIs to man Patriot missile battery in Poland

[unhappycamper]

100 GIs to man Patriot missile battery in Poland
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, August 27, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — About 100 U.S. soldiers are expected to man a Patriot missile battery in Poland as part of an agreement recently struck between U.S. and Polish officials, a top State Department official said Monday.

Under the agreement, the United States can base part of its missile defense system in Poland; in return, the U.S. military will send Patriot missiles to Poland.

Both sides hope to establish a garrison for the battery by 2012, said John C. Rood, acting undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.

"The Patriot battery in question will be a U.S. Army Patriot battery, so it will be owned and operated by the United States Army … The Polish government has agreed to furnish a site, as well as infrastructure and necessary facilities for establishment of a Patriot garrison," Rood said at a news conference Monday.

The garrison will have soldiers for the Patriot missiles — known as "air defenders" — as well as security and support personnel, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57013

[Crowman1979]

1. Wouldn't it be easier to just sell poland the missiles.

Because having US troops closer to Russia is just a way of prodding them to attack poland.