BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture Iraq asks Poland to keep troops in Iraq

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq's Defence Minister Saadun al-Dulaimi has called on Poland to maintain its troop presence in the country.

"We have discussed the possibility for Poland to maintain its forces longer in Iraq, along with the matter of their contribution to the training of Iraqi forces," Dulaimi told reporters Saturday after meeting Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski.

"The new Polish government is facing pressure to pull out its troops," Sikorski said for his part.

Poland's new prime minister, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, on Thursday said that Warsaw, a close Washington ally, was considering maintaining some of its troops in Iraq next year to help train the Iraqi army.

"Our government will decide over the coming weeks if there is a need, during a transition period, to maintain our training mission," he said.

Warsaw has previously said it would end its deployment in Iraq at the end of the year.

Poland has gradually reduced its troops presence in Iraq from 2,400 to 1,400 men.


11/12/2005 12:08
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I don't believe we have any business in Iraq, nor our Polish countrymen. We should have pulled out of there ages ago.

Ijust heard in Polish mass media that Polish government does not know exactly what to do with the Iraq. The current Polish administration is more pro-American than pro-European, which may not be very good since Poland is deiinitively in Europe. In one aspect I think it is maybe not that bad that Poles are in Iraq - I believe that Polish soldiers may have a chance for better training in Iraq than in Poland.

Jaga, of course they have better chances for training in Iraq, nevertheless it is somehow unethical to train fighting and killing effectively on real people. I wouldn't like any army to "protect" us. I realize the democracy is not the strong point of Iraqis political style but still I wish the troops were withdrawn as soon as possible.

Zooba,I think everyone wishes that the troops are home ASAP. But there's another side, too - a pandemonium would happen in Iraq if ALL the troops would leave abruptly.

Isn't it happening now?
IMO the Iraqis are not ready for democracy in our Euro-American way and perhaps they will never be, so how long should we stay there and watch them like we watch naughty children so that they don't hurt each other?