We'd have more power in EU if Germans hadn't 'reduced our population' in WWII, says Polish PM

Evening Standard ^ | June 21, 2007

[CarrotAndStick]

The past is the past, If I robbed someone today, 48 hours from, can I use the excuse "past is the past" when my victim is around?.

Therein lies the rub. Are the victims around? Are the perps around? Besides, there is this thing in law called the Statute of Limitations. I don't know what to make of it, but here is the Wiki definition:

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

Statutes of limitations is predicated on the notion of fairness. Over time memories fade, evidence is lost or never found, and people prefer to get on with their lives without legal intrusions from the past. This idea is reflected in the various lengths of limitations periods. For example, some crimes such as murder or war crimes (see Rome Statute) are deemed so horrific that they have no limitations period in some jurisdictions. Generally, actions relating to real property have longer limitations periods and slander and libel usually have short periods. Japan is one country that does have a statute of limitations for murder. There, if murderers manage to evade the law for 25 years after committing a homicide, they will be free to go public with details of the crime.

From time to time, controversy arises because some horrific crimes have been discovered, but the perpetrator escapes due to the statute of limitation or prescription.

Another reason for statutes of limitations is closure, certainty, or repose. This encourages entities such as courts and law enforcement agencies to allocate resources to more timely concerns. The limitations period also permits entities and individuals to conduct their business without fear of being sued for something far in the past. For civil actions, statutes of limitations usually range between one and ten years. In Nevada, for example, it is two years and in New Mexico and New York, three.

[Pilsner]

Poland would then have to reclaim the land the Soviets stole from them after the war. I don't think the Ukrainians and Belarussians would much care for that

Putin sure would not care for it. And don't forget that Poland used the lack of an effective government in Russia afer WWI to push its Eastern borders well into lands that were primarily populated by non-Poles. Lithuanians, White Russians and Ukrainians. Poland would have a lot more people, but a number of millions of those people would not be, ethnically, Polish.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

With respect to Polish freepers, this is a crazy argument by your prime minister.

How big would Germany be without the war and its pre-war (or even pre-World War 1) borders intact? How big would France be? Austria even. Or the myriad other mainland European countries which were occupied by the Third Reich?

How big would Ireland be without the potato famine?

How big would the world be without millions being murdered via abortion every year?

Poland deserves representation in the EU parliament.

[wolf78]

Only WWII finally stopped that mad expansion of those barbarians and restored justice after 1000 years of German wars.

And if you go back another 500 years, the territory was in Germanic hands. My point: It's all nonsense. If you argue with what could have been if history had gone otherwise, you can basically claim anything. My initial point is just as valid as the Kaczynski's remarks: They're both moronic, because they are not based on fact, but on emotion / perception, thus being subjective instead of objective.



Case in point: One could say Prussia just "recovered" Germanic territories *LOL.

There's a saying in German which goes like this: "Wenn Kuhscheiss Butter wär..." (If cow sh*t were butter... e.g. farmers would be millionaires).

[wideawake]

Germany supported Austria in what was a completely legitimate War on Terror.

Germany had been waiting for an excuse to invade France.

Serbian terrorism, a purely local phenomenon, was merely a pretext.

And no, this is not to say that France wasn't begging for it.

[wideawake]

Is the post of the Council members, as I am assuming, largely ceremonial?

Actually, no. They have real power - much like the British House of Lords could, they can demand pretty substantial changes in Parliamentary legislation and block stuff until they get their way.

[Sonny M]

Therein lies the rub. Are the victims around? Are the perps around? Besides, there is this thing in law called the Statute of Limitations. I don't know what to make of it,

I thought this was kind of interesting.

For example, some crimes such as murder or war crimes (see Rome Statute) are deemed so horrific that they have no limitations period in some jurisdictions.

I'm not even going that far, I just do not think Germany should benefit in the here and now, for something not to long ago. I am not saying they should never, ever be allowed to move on.

[Sensei Ern]

And you would still have your horse cavalry if you didn’t charge them at German tanks.

[CarrotAndStick]

I’m only interested in how they will manage to solve the whole situation amicably. That solution, if it exists, can be applied to thousands of similar situations across the world.

I’m not holding my breath, waiting for the solution though.

:^)

[Michael81Dus]

You haven´t forgotten that millions of Germans died during WW2, too, and that Germany lost 1/3 of its territory compared to the 1937 borders?

[Fledermaus]

I suggest the Poles start “gettin’ busy” then!

[Michael81Dus]

Ok, so will you give native Americans 101 additional seats in Senate? Or should Ireland get more votes from the Brits because the great famine caused by the Englishmen killed many Irish? You can´t sum it up. It´s history.

[AFPhys]

“At the end there has to be some, let’s say, agreement.”
-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—

I believe this “agreement” must eventually be, “Scrap this foolish agreement”.

[Michael81Dus]

How does Germany BENEFIT from WW2? Do you think more innocents should have died? The complete destruction of the big cities wasn´t enough? It´s not that no Germans died during WW2.

[CarrotAndStick]

I thought this was kind of interesting.

So, what will the progeny of the wronged granpappy's grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-children have to say now?

Or were they just "not-so-special" people?

:^)

[CarrotAndStick]

I believe this “agreement” must eventually be, “Scrap this foolish agreement”.

The whole argument is in a one-way, dead-end street. And what you suggest is the only way out.

[Sonny M]

I just thought of an amusing conversation that kind of sums this whole thing up.

Germany: "We should have more power"

Poland: "Why?"

Germany: "We have more people."

Poland: Now how did that happen?

Germany: Well, you see, a few years ago, we wanted more power, so we kind of went out and killed alot of your folks, so now we outnumber you.

Poland stares in silence, for a few moments before responding.

Poland: WHAT????????? You came to our lands to increase your power, killed our people, and now say that since you have more people, you should have more power?

Germany: Yes, why that is quite logical, and besides, that was in the past.

Poland: So because you commit mass murder, and you want more power?

Germany: Mass murder is an ugly word, we prefer the term "participating in history", by the way, how is your parents doing?

Poland: You shot them, remember?

Germany: Well, you get my point, your family is smaller then mine, now give me more power.

Poland: Your mad.