Posted on 08/20/2009 2:24:10 PM PDT by lizol
Poland’s land forces commander resigns
20.08.2009 17:30
UPDATE - As the commander of the land forces resigns, President Lech Kaczynski said the readiness of Poland’s armed forces to carry out their missions abroad requires “an immediate and serious debate”.
General Waldemar Skrzypczak resigned as commander of Poland’s army, Thursday afternoon, after accusing the Defence Ministry of “serious incompetence” which has contributed to the growing casualty rate of Polish troops in Afghanistan.
Earlier, President Lech Kaczynski said after a meeting with Defence Minister Bogdan Klich to discuss the general’s remarks, that an urgent improvement at the level of process and equipment for the armed forces is not only in the interest of soldiers. "We need very concrete actions, one by one, to improve the situation. It's not just about the safety of our troops. It's also about the prestige of the Republic of Poland," said President Kaczynski.
Minister Klich said after the meeting that it was agreed that there would be no call for the dismissal of General Skrzypczak, though the commander had apologised for his remarks.
General Skrzypczak immediately issued a statement that he had not apologised, stood by his remarks and offered his resignation.
The general’s outburst came after the death of Captain Daniel Ambrozinski - the tenth Polish soldier to be killed in Afghanistan - who was shot by Taliban forces last week.
In a newspaper interview, General Skrzypczak criticized government bureaucracy for neglecting army equipment requirements, such as unmanned aircraft and helicopters, which could monitor movements on the ground as troops make patrols.
The Polish armed forces commander said that he had requested such equipment two years ago but this had fallen on deaf ears at the Defence Ministry.
Earlier this week, the government announced plans to upgrade equipment for the armed forces and cut red tape. "The government has approved a draft bill on supplies needed for defence and the state's security," read a a statement issued on Tuesday.
Poland has 2,000 troops currently serving in Afghanistan.
The general seems to be a man of great honor. Klich?
“The general seems to be a man of great honor.”
No doubts.
The thing is, that the funeral of a fallen soldier is not the best place for an active high rank military commander to criticise the civilian leadership of the Ministry of Defense and to blame them for the death of the soldier publicly.
Too bad. The whole business is kind of a setback. Better to resolve these things quietly if possible.
Sure does seem that way. I'm not sure when the last time this happened in the US. Lord knows there have been plenty of opportunities during the Clinton and the Pelosi/Reid years.
This is just one of a series of eye openers for modern armies around the world. Sometimes overtly, often quietly, their commando elite forces are demanding to go to Afghanistan. And when they get there, they get a good idea of how “behind the times” their regular military is equipped and performing.
When they go home, they are devoted to modernization and better equipment and training, now! The old rulebook goes right out the window, and every penny they can scrounge from their politicians goes for new and critical equipment.
Exactly.
I respect the general, however - it’s hard to get rid of some strange thoughts, regarding his recent behaviour.
You know - his term, as the Commander of the Land Forces was going to end in October anyway.
So ... well, he didn’t have much to lose.
And now he’s a popular hero in Poland - the brave and experienced soldier, who dared to oppose incompetent politicians.
Poland has a proud military tradition, a strong commitment to NATO, and a recognition that being willing and able to fight are essential to keeping enemies at bay. Poland’s troop commitments to Iraq and Afghanistan have had the salutary effect of exposing weaknesses in equipment that can now be remedied.
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