Poland to keep troops in Iraq, chides Spain

Reuters ^ | 3-15-04 | John Chalmers in Brussels, Adam Jasser in Warsaw

[veronica]

TARNOW, Poland – Poland vowed Monday to keep troops in Iraq and warned Spain's incoming government that its plan to pull out could be seen as weakness in the face of terror after the Madrid bombings.

Poland has 2,400 troops in Iraq and commands a 9,000-strong division of troops from 24 nations, including 1,300 Spanish soldiers, in a central-south zone.

"Revising our positions on Iraq after terrorist attacks would be to admit that terrorists are stronger and that they are right," Prime Minister Leszek Miller told a news conference in the Polish town of Tarnow.

Spain had been due to take over the command of the international division on July 1 but the plan was thrown into doubt Monday when Socialist Prime Minister-elect Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said he would bring the troops home.

The Socialist victory in Spain's general election Sunday followed last week's bomb attacks by suspected Islamist militants in Madrid, which killed nearly 200 people.

Poland, the biggest of 10 mostly ex-communist states joining the European Union in May, fears it may be the next target, prompting the authorities to step up security at borders, airports and railway stations.

Some analysts said Zapatero's pledge to withdraw troops from Iraq made Poland more vulnerable.

"If terrorists see that you can force a country to pull out, they may think it is worthwhile to try the same again," said Janusz Reiter, head of the International Relations Center in Warsaw.

(Additional reporting by John Chalmers in Brussels and Adam Jasser in Warsaw)

[netmilsmom]

God Bless the Poles.

[traumer]

Bravo POLAND !!

[mtbopfuyn]

THANK YOU, Poland!

[narby]

Al Qaeda's attack in Spain, because the Spanish had troops in Iraq, is proof that Iraq is "part of the War on Terror".

[retrokitten]

God Bless 'em. I wish there was a way to show our appreciation to them.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Gratitude ping

[CasearianDaoist]

Hats of to the bravest people in Europe! A few decades of tyranny are hard to forget. Let us hope that they stick to their guns when the EU tries to take away their votes in the next round of talks about the constitution.

[Wphile]

God Bless the Poles.

AMEN!!

[CasearianDaoist]

One has to laugh. Today in the EU pundits are saying in practically the same sentance that Iraq has nothing to do witht the WOT and that by supporting the WOT the Spanish were attacked by AQ. It take real hard, intelliegent effort to be that stupid.

[Cronos]

Al Qaeda's attack in Spain, because the Spanish had troops in Iraq, is proof that Iraq is "part of the War on Terror".

I wouldn't say that. I say that Irq was part of the woT because Saddy was terrorising his own people and was a threat to the growth of democracy. The AlQ thing is different.

[Yossarian]

Go Poland!

I'll have to go find some nice Polish ladies to take out to thank them for their county's fortitude :^)

[skeeter]

Poland can thank the socialists in Spain if they suffer an attack in their homeland.

[CheezyD]

Poland rocks!

[Dog]

God Bless Poland.

[Unam Sanctam]

"Revising our positions on Iraq after terrorist attacks would be to admit that terrorists are stronger and that they are right," Prime Minister Leszek Miller told a news conference in the Polish town of Tarnow.

God bless Prime Minister Miller for stating the obvious to the appeasement-blinded Spanish.

[Terry Mross]

When Spain pulls out the terrorists will be given the signal that any country they attack will run and hide. The terrorists won this one. Stand by, folks!

[traumer]

"If terrorists see that you can force a country to pull out, they may think it is worthwhile to try the same again," said Janusz Reiter...

[TheSpottedOwl]

Bravo!

[hchutch]

Way to go, Poland!!