Poland admits Iraq combat role after news photos

Reuters | 3/24/03 | Douglas Busvine

[kattracks]

Poland admits Iraq combat role after news photos

By Douglas Busvine

WARSAW, March 24 (Reuters) - Poland admitted on Monday that an elite commando unit had taken active part in the U.S.-led attack on Iraq after the soldiers posed for a Reuters news photographer.

The Defence Ministry had denied that GROM (Thunder) special forces were involved in combat, but on Monday it confirmed their participation after dailies splashed photographs of the soldiers in the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr, where U.S.-led troops are battling pockets of Iraqi resistance.

Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski refused, however, to divulge details of the troops' role in supporting the main U.S.-British force fighting to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"We are determined not to comment on secret operations," Szmajdzinski told reporters, saying only that GROM troops were operating "in the coastal region" of Iraq and in Gulf waters.

"You don't comment about the theatre of operations because that would give away information about our capability...this is secret," he added.

GROM is an SAS-style commando unit which has seen recent action in Afghanistan. It is one of the few highly trained units in Poland's armed forces, which are mostly underfunded and still rely on outdated Soviet-era equipment.

Poland, a NATO member whose government has supported the tough U.S. line against Baghdad, sent 200 troops to the Gulf in what they originally said was a supporting, non-combat, role.

The Reuters photographs showed masked GROM soldiers taking prisoners, scrawling graffitti on a portrait of Saddam and posing with U.S. Navy Seals holding up a U.S. flag.

"These photos shouldn't have happened," said Szmajdzinski. "The next time it will definitely be with the Polish flag."

Surveys show that most people in this east European country of 38 million do not want Polish troops to take active part in fighting in Iraq, although a majority backs an auxilliary role.

Szmajdzinski denied the government had failed to tell the nation that Polish troops would take part in combat.

"We sent our contingent to take part in military operations, not to be observers -- that was obvious," he said. "Nobody misled anyone."

[r9etb]

"These photos shouldn't have happened," said Szmajdzinski. "The next time it will definitely be with the Polish flag."

LOL! God Bless the Poles.

[Callahan]

I hereby suggest that all Polish jokes be turned into French jokes.

[Recovering_Democrat]

God Bless Poland.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I second the motion.

[smith288]

Nothing is worse than being caught helping the good guys. haha

[Pro-Bush]

Can you please post the url?

[Chummy]

Dzienkuje, Pan Szmajdzinski, dzienkuje, Polska!

You've made this family -- of Polish ancestry -- extremely proud. You've made this family -- Americans -- extremely appreciative of your nation's contributions to the coalition efforts in Iraq.

The leadership of Sobieski, the fighting spirits of Pulaski and Kosciuszko live and breathe.

Dzienkuje.

[dirtboy]

I hereby suggest that all Polish jokes be turned into French jokes.

Won't work in all cases. For example, the old Polish joke:

Why did the Polish man eat beans Saturday night? To take a bubble bath Sunday morning

Simply cannot be adapted for a Frenchman, for reasons that should be obvious...

[Shermy]

Polish special forces and U.S. Navy Seals pose for pictures
under a portrait of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
in the port of Umm-Qasr in southern Iraq ...

[jriemer]

I hereby suggest that all Polish jokes be turned into French jokes.

I second the motion.

All in favor say, AYE...

[kattracks]

God Bless Poland.

Amen. We know who our true friends are.

[tophat9000]

Got to love the Poles

[smith288]

No, I have no idea of the URL, ask the thread author

[jriemer]

Dirtboy,

I hereby suggest that all Polish jokes be turned into French jokes.

Won't work in all cases. For example, the old Polish joke:

Why did the Polish man eat beans Saturday night? To take a bubble bath Sunday morning

Simply cannot be adapted for a Frenchman, for reasons that should be obvious...

You can salvage your favorite joke. Just change "Saturday" for "the end of the month" and replace "Sunday" with "the following". Frenchmen do bathe but at most once per month...

[dirtboy]

Frenchmen do bathe but at most once per month...

Most Americans don't consider standing over a bidet and splashing a bit of water around to be bathing...

[Pro-Bush]

Sorry Smith288...Apparently I haven't had enough coffee this morning.

[VOA]

Poland admits Iraq combat role after news photos

The best Polish "joke" of this new millenium is that Poland decided to
"get on the right side of history"...leaving France, Germany, Canada, and a
bunch of other flaccid countries eating their dusk.

[struwwelpeter]

Wspaniale, dziêki! Nie przejmuj sie o russkie kurwy, your Ukrainian brothers are also in Kuwait. Miego dnia!

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Maybe our Polish allies will have an opportunity to talk with Iraq's Russian advisors.

Hope they get an opportunity to get some for the late Commies Out.