Poland Says It Won't Stay in Iraq Forever

[Barrett808]

Poland Says It Won't Stay in Iraq Forever
By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON - Facing pressure to withdraw his troops, Poland's prime minister told President Bush on Monday that "no one wants to stay in Iraq forever." Polish-led forces turned over control of two provinces to Marines because of the worsening violence in Najaf.

President Bush said Poles "have been great allies" in Iraq and their troops have performed "brilliantly."

Bush met in the Oval Office with Prime Minister Marek Belka, who came to Washington to talk with the president and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld about transferring more military duties to Iraqis in the Polish-led zone after withdrawals by Spain and other countries.

Public opinion polls show that Poles overwhelmingly want to bring their troops home.

...

In Iraq, the Polish-led multinational force returned control for Najaf and Qadisiyah provinces to U.S. troops only 10 days after assuming responsibility. The change was because of growing violence in Najaf, where U.S. troops are battling loyalists of Muqtada al-Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040809/ap_on_re_eu/us_iraq&cid=518&ncid=1480

[oasis]

1. Word has finally reached the Polish troops that Halliburton's mercenaries

are being paid astronomically more $$$$ for taking the same risks.

[Jacobin]

2. Oh, No!!! Are they withdrawing BOTH of their soldiers?

The end is near.

:eyes:

[aneerkoinos]

4. About 2000 soldiers

Only siginficant force besides UK and Italy. And with Poland goes Bulgaria, Ukraina etc., just like Honduras etc went with Spain.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Since the U.S. is paying Poland for their support - it could mean we

turned off or turned down the money faucet. And...perhaps they don't want to be the only 'coalition partner' left in Iraq.

[MichiganVote]

5. Could be they're not frickin'nuts