Polish Iraq mission may go on offensive: president

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Polish Iraq mission may go on offensive: president
Thu Apr 5, 2007 9:26AM EDT

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland may be forced to strengthen its military mission
in Iraq and order it on the offensive more in response to recent attacks on its
base there, President Lech Kaczynski said on Thursday.

"Our base has been frequently shot at recently, so we may have to change the
character (of the mission) to more offensive," Kaczynski told a news conference.
"If someone thinks that this is the way to force Poles out of Iraq, he's wrong."

Poland now has about 900 soldiers in Iraq after Warsaw gradually scaled-back its
presence from almost 2,500 troops and the mission now mainly focuses on training
Iraqi forces.

Earlier on Thursday, Polish army commander General Waldemar Skrzypczak was
quoted as saying during his visit to the army base that more combat troops were
needed to protect the operation there.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSWAR00556220070405

[bemildred]

1. Blah blah blah blah. They are really grabbing at straws today. nt

[Hobarticus]

2. I thought they were flat-out going home, soon...

if not gone by now. What gives?

[Oreo]

3. Seems the insurgents haven't forgotten Poland

Mr. Kaczynski... pull your troops out now. They're nothing more than cannon-fodder and any of their deaths are not worth it for this stupid war

[saigon68]

4. Maybe they hone their skills

to attack Russia Or Germany ?

[maddezmom]

5. `Humiliated' Polish Soldiers in Iraq Now Allowed to Return Fire

`Humiliated' Polish Soldiers in Iraq Now Allowed to Return Fire

By Katya Andrusz

April 7 (Bloomberg) -- Polish soldiers serving in Iraq as part of the multinational force will now be permitted to return fire after an increased number of attacks on the country's base.

``It was humiliating for them that they were shot at and weren't able to return fire,'' Defense Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said in a televised interview on TVN24. ``Now everyone knows that if someone shoots at a Polish soldier, the Polish soldier will shoot at them too -- and that's how things should be.''

Polish President Lech Kaczynski said earlier this week that ``it might be necessary to change the nature'' of Poland's mission in Iraq. Up to now, the main task of the 900 or so Polish troops there had been to help train the Iraqi military.

Poland has been part of the multinational force in Iraq since 2003. Kaczynski in December extended the Polish mission in Iraq until the end of the year. Szczyglo yesterday said he was replacing the country's military leadership in Iraq, the same day that U.S., Iraqi and Polish forces began an offensive to disband terrorists operating in Diwaniya, where the Polish mission is based.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aVx39XPfwumY