Two-Level Games and Base Politics: Understanding the Formulation of Czech and Polish Foreign Policy Responses to U.S. Military Base Deployment Proposals

Research paper of Michal Trník tackled the question why the Czech Republic and Poland, both close U.S. allies, developed considerably different foreign policy responses to the American offer to site parts of the U.S. missile defense system on their territories. The negotiations of both Central European countries with the U.S. not only took remarkably different trajectories over time but upon finishing of this work (July 2008) the position of the Czech Republic and Poland towards the U.S. remained divergent and talks officially unconcluded. While the Czech Republic signed a formal agreement with the U.S. concerning the installation of radar, Poland on the other hand was far from striking a deal on missile installations.