U.S. eyes big role for Poland in Iraq - report

Reuters | 4/28/03

[kattracks]

U.S. eyes big role for Poland in Iraq - report

WARSAW, April 28 (Reuters) - The United Stateswould like Poland to contribute up to 4,000 troops to a peacekeeping force overseeing the instalment of a democratic government in Iraq, the top-selling Polish daily reported on Monday.

The Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper quoted a senior Pentagon official as saying that the Polish brigade was part of one of two international divisions that Washington is considering for the peacekeeping force.

"We would be happy if Warsaw agreed to send up to 4,000 troops," the official, who asked not to be named, was quoted as saying.

Poland, a staunch ally of the U.S. in its war to topple Saddam Hussein, has offered to send "several hundred" peacekeeping troops as it seeks to profit from the country's postwar reconstruction.

"It is too early to say how many Polish troops will be included in the stabilisation force," Polish Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told Gazeta.

Gazeta reported that Poland could take command of one division in Iraq, which would also involve a British force.

Poland hopes its staunch support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq, which irked core European Union members Germany and France, will yield fat contracts for its chemical, fuel and construction sectors.

04/28/03 03:20 ET

[trebb]

Good news for Poland - makes be proud to be one of the "...ski" people...

[airborne]

They put their troops in harms way.They've earned the right to take a place in future leadership decisions and share in the post-Saddam rebuilding business. Besides, I'd rather be in a foxhole next to a Pole than a surrender monkey.

[nygoose]

The favoring of Poland by the United States is the way things are supposed to work in the world.

However, we also have Richard Blum's companies receiving $4 billion in U.S. defense contracts while his wife is using every fiber in her iddy biddy brain to forestall the Bush administration's policies.

In addition, the President is rumored to be willing to sign new legislation, if passed by the Congress, extending the Assault Weapons ban. This is Feinstein's pet legislative project.

Republicans have no stomach for politics. It's too rough a game for them.

[Nick Danger]

as it seeks to profit from the country's postwar reconstruction.

Modern technology astounds me. I never thought I'd live to see the day when journalism school graduates would be able to read minds.

I just think it's so wonderful that now they can actually detect the motivations of millions of individual Poles, and summarize them so neatly for us.

In the old days if reporters did this, we would have to suspect that they were projecting — attributing to Poles the motivations they would have if it was them. But that's all gone by the wayside now, thank goodness.

[Ebenezer]

It's interesting how, despite his great popularity and influence in his native country, Pope John Paul II's determined opposition to the war in Iraq didn't make a dent when it came to Poland's support for the effort.

Having suffered the ravages of BOTH Nazi German and Soviet Russian rule, the Poles had a clear understanding of what was at stake if Saddam and his terrorist allies had been given a free pass. Their support is most appreciated.

[WaterDragon]

I don't think Poland is in this just for "the fat contracts."

Western Europe has been dividing up and tossing Poland to the wolves for centuries. Poland has little reason to place its future in the hands of such as Chirac, and knows this very well.