As Joe Biden visits Poland, Michal Krupa reports on the firing of a Polish academic for questioning the Polish government’s position on the war in Ukraine.
OSCE parliamentarian assembly on the war in Ukraine in Polish parliament, the Sjem, November 2022. (Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0)
By Michal Krupa
In Warsaw
Special to Consortium News
In Poland these days it is becoming dangerous to one’s career to publicly voice opposition to the government’s policy vis-à-vis the war in Ukraine.
Leszek Sykulski, a well-known and popular expert in geopolitics, is a case in point. A few days ago, Sykulski spearheaded the launch of the Polish Anti-War Movement, which aims to become a grassroots platform uniting Poles opposed to the overtly anti-Russian, pro-war and pro-interventionist agenda of the political elites and mainstream media.
A few days later it was revealed that Sykulski was fired from his teaching position at the Józef Goluchowski Academy of Applied Sciences in Ostrowiec Switokrzyski. The rector of the academy, Pawel Gotowiecki, was not shy in justifying his decision on purely political grounds. Here’s what Gotowiecki said in an interview with Radio Ostrowiec on Feb. 16:
“I regret that Dr. Leszek Sykulski, undoubtedly a gifted didactician, highly regarded by students, has decided to de facto abandon scientific and didactic activity in favor of socio-political activity, and to such an extent. I regret that the views that Dr. Sykulski is proclaiming at the moment, the people he surrounds himself with, are so socially controversial, while the theses that he puts forward are contrary not only to my personal views, the values that our university adheres to, because we are involved in helping Ukraine and Ukrainians, which is questioned by the Polish Anti-War Movement, but also harm the Polish raison d’etat.”
I reached out to Sykulski for a comment on this development and in a text message he informed me that:
“On [Feb.2], I received notice of termination at the Academy of Applied Sciences in Ostrowiec. Earlier, I was removed from teaching students in all fields of study. The reason was the founding of the Polish Anti-War Movement and the negative reaction of state authorities, including a phone call from the Ministry of Education and Science and a personal visit to the academy by Law and Justice politicians.”
Political scientist Leszek Sykulski in 2019. (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Earlier in 2022, Sykulski was vociferously attacked for conducting an interview with the Russian ambassador in Poland just a few days after the initiation of hostilities in Ukraine. He has become, along with the consistently anti-war MP Grzegorz Braun, the target of the ruling elite’s hatred, which throws around the usual accusations of being a Putin stooge, Russian agent, going along with the “Kremlin narrative.”
All this for simply reiterating the obvious points that the current war was not “unprovoked,” that Poland should not act as a subservient agent of the Kiev regime’s wishes and desires, that it is not in the Polish interest to remain a compliant and willing accomplice to the White House’s stated goal of “wanting to see Russia weakened.”
Rational positions that are, however, a bridge too far for the Polish establishment and its media allies.
One of the components of the Polish Anti-War Movement’s activism is a billboard campaign designed to spread the message that “This is not our war.” Some have already been displayed in Polish cities.
This has created a paradoxical situation in which many of Sykulski’s detractors accuse him of spreading Russian propaganda because the message “this is not our war” apparently falsifies the reality that Poland is already de facto at war with Russia, while implying that Warsaw should go all in.
Despite the Polish state’s active role in NATO’s proxy war in Ukraine, not only is Poland not in a formal state of war with the Russian Federation, but according to polling out of Hungary conducted by Project Europe Research of Századvég Foundation and published in December 2022, a clear majority of Poles want to see the end of hostilities.
#Gliwice #ToNieNaszaWojna #PolskiRuchAntywojenny pic.twitter.com/uBsE2woa2I
— Leszek Sykulski (@SykulskiLeszek) February 17, 2023
According to a recent report, Poles remain supportive of sending weapons to Ukraine, but a clear majority is opposed to sending Polish soldiers as part of a NATO mission to Ukraine.
As in mid mid-2022, only 17 percent of those surveyed are in favor of such a move. It would seem then that the Polish Anti-War Movement has fertile ground to spread its message and educating the Polish public opinion on the necessity of non-intervention and non-escalation, negating the supposedly “obvious” truth that we are at war already and should just resign ourselves, as Polish citizens, to going along with the program of U.S. officials Victoria Nuland, Jake Sullivan and Antony Blinken.
Far from harming the Polish raison d’etat, as Sykulski’s former employer put it, the Polish Anti-War Movement is acting in the interests of the Polish people.
It’s Not Our War billboard that peace activists are putting up in Polish cities. (Twitter, Leszek Sykulski)
Before World War II the Polish president-elect, among many other solemn obligations contained in the oath of office, swore to “turn away evil and danger from the State.” Currently there is no higher service than advocating for averting the danger of entangling the Polish state in a full-fledged war with Russia, even at the cost of getting one’s career cut down by petty and spineless bureaucrats.
Sykulski is not backing down from setting an example for civic action against NATO direct involvement in Ukraine.
Poland is at an inflection point in its history, where the lives of millions of people and the national security of Poland can be jeopardized further by a reckless decision. Looking at the current crop of Polish politicians, from the government to the supposed “opposition” in the parliament, united in their irrational hatred of Russia and repulsive subservience to Kiev, one cannot refrain from paraphrasing Charles de Gaulle — war is too serious a matter to be left to politicians. Polish citizens now have a platform for stating clearly and loudly: this is not our war.
Michal Krupa is a historian and commentator based in Poland. He has published in many Polish and American outlets, including The American Conservative and Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture. He hosts the Heretics podcast on VotumTV. His Twitter handle is: @MGKrupa
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
Retired US Colonel Douglas MacGregor asserts that many thousands of Polish military are fighting for Ukraine wearing Ukrainian uniforms, and that at least 2,500 of them have been killed in action already, though this information is withheld from the Polish public and the world in general. In most any other international armed conflict in the mold of this “proxy war” these facts would have long ago served as casus belli for Russian forces to be using major military force against Poland (and all of Nato, for that matter). But, as Washington and the West incessantly attempt to escalate the conflict to the level of a nuclear war, Putin doggedly keeps moving back his totally justified “red lines” to prevent such a thing. He seems to be the only head of state amongst all of the combatant nations, most of them dragged in and constrained in their every word and action by Washington, to realise that even “winning” a nuclear war over an entire planet left, not just bombarded back to the stone age but totally lifeless, is not even a “Pyrrhic” accomplishment if there are no (admittedly foolish) human minds left to savor the experience. Maybe it’s the ultimate achievement of an extreme nihilist, in which case Victoria Nuland may still have a demented smile on her ugly mug as the flames breach her government bunker and sear away her flesh.
(I note that Elon Musk has caused quite a stir within the international press corp during the last day or two by attributing this war as mainly Nuland’s own personal creation. The man does speak a lot of reasonably good sense–like how this war must end short of nuclear annihilation via the Putin scenario–contaminated with his occasional creative over reach, but good sense is the last thing the great majority of the sheeple want to hear, especially those bah-bahs who control all the wealth and levers of power and believe in their own trans-human transcendence.)
Michal Krupa: “Rational positions that are, however, a bridge too far for the Polish establishment and its media allies.”
Unfortunately, this gradually became the norm in collective West, on issues ranging from petty to war and peace. In Polish one could briefly say “Racja stanu nie ma racji”, no reason in “raison d’etat”.
The hypocritical absurdity of today’s Americans pointing fingers at any other country, accusing them of McCarthyism/fascism.
America has long been known for being absurdly hypocritical. I found that true when I moved to Europe in the Sixties and the veil came off of my mind. It has merely become more so since then. We must do our best to teach some truth and perspective to everyone we can reach to counter the falsities of our major medias.
Mixing metaphors, it’s apparent NATO countries have hitched their wagons to the USA and are willing to go down with the ship. I wonder if there’ll ever be a critical mass of public opposition enough to force a change in policy. ……… Then again, I wonder about that here in the US, too. ………..You’d think that the reality of this being a US/NATO war against Russia more than anything else would finally be sinking in.
——— Silencing Hersh’s recent revelatory journalism about the pipeline is an ominous indicator of trends. MSM will be locking out more and more war opposition and analysis that strays from official narratives. Teachers, as well as journos will know that anti-war + anti-American, and will pay the price. More and more measures of social/info control will be employed to keep the masses in line.
So interesting that CNN is devoting so much time no space with regard to this war with no one being given some space to talk about how this all started and how we see this ending. Does Biden really want a nuclear war? I do not think so but with the msm not hearing other voices I see little hope for the future.
The US has had the greatest control 0ver NATO since they created it as a counter-measure against the Soviets. Much of the world today sees NATO as being the greatest threat the world faces.
So, how to reconcile what appears to be scant public support for this conflict against the lock-step support of the Polish government (and feel free to substitute the European nation of your choice here)? There is a reality here that has not been truly appreciated either for its effectiveness or its pervasiveness.
How does Uncle Sugar do what it does, so well?
The melody goes like this: the ghouls of US statecraft realize that there are corruptible individuals everywhere and it is only necessary to identify those persons and then promise them that they will become either wealthy or powerful or both, should they agree to be the conduit for US military aid to their poor and beleaguered nation. This was/is the formula used over and over in South and Central America and is now almost universally employed by US “foreign policy” globally. The corrupt compromised warlord or government functionary never tattles on their sponsor, for when their usefulness expires, they are quietly removed to the sanctuary of the “States” to live out their protected and hidden lives. Bolsonaro is now in the US.
The rhythm follows the ebb and flow of a nation’s or region’s prospects. Should any threat, natural or man-made make the rounds of any region, you can bet the parasites of the US Empire will be hiding in the waste stream, waiting with a Faustian bargain to be signed with pens of indelible ink.
In the last several decades Poland, in the care of certain Polish individuals has become a virtual US armed fortress and partner in whatever military adventurism the US beltway might cook up. There is no mystery here. The continued survival of this paradigm revolves solely around the US ability to portray itself either as a) “the good guys” or b), “inevitable and invincible” (true believers in Fukuyama’s “End of History.)
and of course, unofficially, thousands of Polish “volunteers” are already fighting against the Russian troops in the Ukraine….
Retired US Colonel Douglas MacGregor asserts that many thousands of Polish military are fighting for Ukraine wearing Ukrainian uniforms, and that at least 2,500 of them have been killed in action already, though this information is withheld from the Polish public and the world in general. In most any other international armed conflict in the mold of this “proxy war” these facts would have long ago served as casus belli for Russian forces to be using major military force against Poland (and all of Nato, for that matter). But, as Washington and the West incessantly attempt to escalate the conflict to the level of a nuclear war, Putin doggedly keeps moving back his totally justified “red lines” to prevent such a thing. He seems to be the only head of state amongst all of the combatant nations, most of them dragged in and constrained in their every word and action by Washington, to realise that even “winning” a nuclear war over an entire planet left, not just bombarded back to the stone age but totally lifeless, is not even a “Pyrrhic” accomplishment if there are no (admittedly foolish) human minds left to savor the experience. Maybe it’s the ultimate achievement of an extreme nihilist, in which case Victoria Nuland may still have a demented smile on her ugly mug as the flames breach her government bunker and sear away her flesh.
(I note that Elon Musk has caused quite a stir within the international press corp during the last day or two by attributing this war as mainly Nuland’s own personal creation. The man does speak a lot of reasonably good sense–like how this war must end short of nuclear annihilation via the Putin scenario–contaminated with his occasional creative over reach, but good sense is the last thing the great majority of the sheeple want to hear, especially those bah-bahs who control all the wealth and levers of power and believe in their own trans-human transcendence.)
If we are to hear/read Leszek Sykulski himself his remarks in You Tube need to have at least English subtitles , if not in other European languages. Something for Michal Krupa ? Leszek Sykulski’s civil courage and sacrifice of his academic career should be known throughout the EU/NATO and not just in Poland and among Polish speakers.
It makes me think of the ongoing legal prosecution of Heinrich Bücker a peace activist who runs the Peace Café in Berlin for his
opposition to the German governmnet’s policies in the Ukrainian conflict.
I trust that there will be more coverage about Leszek Sykulski, the anti-war MP Gregorz Braun, and the Polish peace movement in Consortium News.
Democratic rights are being violated throughout the EU. Good to see the “quote” of Charles DeGaulle: ” war is too serious a matter to be left to the poiliticians.”
Maybe it would be better if those who support war—–if they had to suit up and go. It’s much too easy for politicians to support war but then evade the personal consequences of having to put their own boots and their own lives into the mix of war.
McCarthyism in tyrannical, imperial America, is very much alive, and as ‘sick’ as it ever was, in the 50’s!
“This is not our war” is the truism of history. All are wars of the war mongers, who through hubris, hypocrisy and lies lead their people into hatred of the other. In the case of Poland, we can’t even be assured that the leaders motives are so sincerely in support of Ukraine. Alex and Alexander at The Duran have discussed how Poland would love to carve out some of Western Ukraine and assert control over what remains when Russia holds the east (as seems inevitable at this point). For Poland its a bit like the Führer’s vain attempts to “make Germany great again.” Vain glory abounds. If the polls of the Pols are accurate, at least Sykulski has far better chances of success at home than we propagandized Russia-Sin0-phobes. We suffer from terminal xenophobia it would seem. We just call it American Exceptionalism–being the “indispensable nation” that we are.
Life lessons, wisdom and restraint seem not to be passed down across the generations but gratuitous ethnic hatred seems endless and boundless. How many times do the peoples of Europe have to experience the ravages of total war because they cannot let go of centuries-old animosities? What keeps the Poles from understanding that the Russians, much more than most, also suffered immensely at the hands of both the Soviet Bolsheviks (not Christian Russians) as well as the German Nazis. You’ve got common problems that will NOT be ameliorated by mutual hatred. Why predictively accomplish nothing more than recreating such an hellacious experience for all your people yet again? You fools would be making your country the main battlefield between East and West in a war that can never be the cakewalk over Russia that you imagine in your vainglorious dreams. Believe me, Washington will not give a damn nor offer you any succor when your people face extinction in a totally devastated landscape. Ask the North Koreans. That will be the future of Poland if you persist in your folly. You folks nearly deify the Polish pope John Paul II. Do you seriously think he would advise you to engage in a nuclear war against Russia, or would he recommend your nation’s existential survival? I am not the first to tell you these things. Ukraine is not the example you should be trying to emulate. Those people have long suffered from extensive corruption, mass insanity and suicidal tendencies. Theirs is the road to self-annihilation. Why on earth do you seek the same? I put the same question to your Baltic and Visegrad neighbors. By these lights, only Hungary might be considered sane and interested in long term survival as a people.
Europeans and by and large western powers reserve the right to call themselves “Civilized”. Based on the last 400 years of history, they must mean it ironically
If only the Poles, and lots of others, would follow your heartfelt and intelligent suggestions. Thank you.
Whatever. The current European border war, big as it is becoming, is nevertheless a European war and if the Polish government uses its troops to expand that war, it is still nothing more than a European border war that Europeans must decide, not the Americans who like to believe they continue to be the world’s single military and economic superpower, which to some degree is still true, but to a quickly lessening degree which will eventually and ultimately see Nato’s European flank countries fighting border wars against each other while highly indebted America goes broke trying to figure out what to do in Asia and Africa as its influence rapidly dwindles, etc., etc. Australia and Canada, meanwhile, fail to voice opposition to the USA and will also see their influence as American colonies decline. The same applies to the country anchored by Manila which actually was and to a large degree is still little more than the militarized colony it became when American troops invaded it (look it up) several decades back..
This is not Australia’s war.
Try telling that to any of the politicians in power in either Party, and of course the Murdoch media tells the people what to think.
Mr. Sykulski was not only totally correct but also within his right to express what is obvious:It is a simple as that. This is not our war.
I am not saying this is our war or that we should be supporting Ukraine with either money or arms, but not our war is pretty much what was said in WW1 and 2
“I am not saying this is our war…but not our war is pretty much what was said in WW1 and 2”
You just did.
Care to clarify your position on eastern Ukrainians who were about to be overrun by the Ukrainian army or is Ukrainian on Ukrainian violence acceptable.