http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/7583134/VIP-passenger-syndrome-may-have-contributed-to-Polish-plane-crash.html
The first article I posted is a New York Times piece on the political contributions of recently deceased Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash last saturday that killed him and 95 other people, including other high-ranking government and military officials. It describes his political rise and leadership career as a contentious figure often at odds with the dominant international relations expectations; he was enthusiastic about U.S.-dominated trade organizations of which other members of the European Union were more skeptical, and he was known to instigate tension between Poland and Russia as well as a general right-leaning tendency, which sometimes put him at odds with his people and the international community. The second article from a British newspaper gives another perspective on his death; rather than a freak accident, it evaluates conspiracy theories and the motivation for Russia to have facilitated the conditions of his death.
This is a pretty serious allegation, and the ill-will it has created threatens to undermine the stability of the European system which has been becoming increasingly more peaceful and integrated. Is this leftover animosity from previous violations of trust, is it the result of the narrative of hostility promoted and encouraged by Kaczynski, is it a response to unsettling tragedy that can be dismissed for its confusion, or something else entirely? What are the implications of rising ill-will between these two relatively developed, well-integrated countries in Europe in 2010?
I think that, more than leftover animosity or other reasons, the driving factor behind the conspiracy theories is that everyone loves conspiracies. Russia and Poland's historical relationship is too tense for this accident to go without a few well-placed theories. This accident in particular digs up so much off their bad history, so it is a golden opportunity to blame Russia for the Polish president's death (indirectly, of course.) While this history is important, it is generally the fact that people love and will read conspiracy theories. Their relationship simply provides the fuel.
ReplyDeleteEveryone does love conspiracies! I doubt there will be much backlash in terms of relations between the two countries when all the allegations are simply speculations. Too much is riding their relations to allow this to get in their way. A constructivist might ask why these previous tensions even existed in the first place. A liberal would want big institutions to regulate the interactions between these countries. A realist would argue that both sides bolster up for the worst and be wary of each other in lieu of their shaky history. I would argue that a conspiracy is highly unlikely, but should be investigated. This would show Russia that Poland is serious without creating a major scene.
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