Korea...Poland, some comparisons

Today "International" Committee for Aviation Crash Investigation (MAK in Russian) with general Anodina on it's lead had published "report" on Smolensk crash which occured on April 10th near Smolensk in Russia. In this catastrophe the President of Poland with his wife and 94 other leaders, congressmen, intellectuals together with whole crew were died.

Initially it supposed to be a turning point in Polish-Russian relations. Two days before "Katyn" was allowed to be shown only on Russia Today which is an english language TV station with popularity not exceeding 2% of the society. After the crash "breakthrough" step allowed a movie to be shown on other Russian TV stations.

In Poland a stream of dezinformation, different opinions, attitudes followed with PM blind belief in new modern Russia which will stand up to the call of modern western investigation with solid and transparent standards in it's base.

So we had been waiting for the outcome and as predicted MAK accused the Air Force Chief general Blasik for being drunk and for shouting on pilots in the cocpit.

In the meanwhile Dmitrij Medvedev, president of Russia visited Poland. Journalists were covering this visit emphasising with genuine pride how secured is this visit, how many choppers, secret service agents and panzer cars are there so noone would know in which of them president Medvedev really is.


It is difficult to reach bigger contrast. Back in Smolensk there was just one Secret Service agent without any gun covering security of the ambassador Bahr more than the president of Poland, airport, airfield remembering of sheep-run more than of modern sophisticated airport. That all surrounded by woods and city's dumpster mount and a barrack which certainly would use some renovation pretending to be control tower. In that "control tower" there were 3 guys all of whom had never been taken for interrogation by Polish prosecutors.
If I was told that these are the conditions offered for a visit of a foreign head of the state, several years ago I would not believe.
This resemble some long term submissive prejudice residing in brains of old generation in power in Poland. Generation in media and in politics. They consider such circumstances as normal and a matter of fact because Russia is bigger and their president deserves better treatment. I can imagine what would Russian media say if we told president Medvedev to land on a sheep-run.

Do I suspect a foul play? Yes I do, at least in a way the "investigation" is being done. Pieces of the aircraft are still to be found near the site. The wreckage was not even covered with anything and money from bank accounts of the victims had been stolen using their bank cards, this is how well the site was secured.

Was it an assasination? Who knows. I personally favor carelessness of the "control tower". What if really drunken guys were sitting there and reacted too slowly? But on the contrary I must admit that the control tower leader Plusin suggested to redirect the flight into the spare airport. From the transcript of the control tower talks at some point he says "Fuck, for now they insist to bring the plane down". Who is "they"? This should be clearly stated in the MAK report and it isn't. MAK report totally ignores the control tower transcript of all communication, not only with the plane but also with other people on the phone and those present in the building.

Also straight after the catastrophe my blog had been viewed by a very weird Moscow based business in the control of internet activity, market research. They are apparently not interested in Korean issues because they stopped watching my blog just after I stopped mentioning the crash.

How is it all related to Korea? I remember Cheonan sinking this year. Immediate international investigation, rushed legal proceedings and quick and clear results which happen to be accurate. If South Korean Air Force One crashed on the Russian territory, the investigation would be immediately Korean. They would not even ask anyone if they can or cannot. They would do, what they usually do, act first and worry later.

This is why I love Korea. One of the many many reasons.

******

On the side. Crashes like that are very popular movie topics, also it is possible to get Pulitzer if a journalist touches such topic. But up to date noone is asking any inconvenient questions about how the MAK investigation was done.

Meanwhile president Medvedev walks on the red carpet in Warsaw. He will probably eat cavior in the presidential palace and smile to a few photos.