Poland: Minister says troops to withdraw from Iraq at the end of next year

[gottaB]

Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński has said that Polish troops will withdraw from Iraq by December 2005.

He said that: "Two and a half years of a stabilizing mission in Iraq is enough. The deadline should be the ending date of the 1546 UN resolution." According to Szmajdziński, the decision is a compromise between a political calendar and the possibilities of Polish army and it will not be influenced by the current situation in Iraq. American Secretary General Colin Powel announced that the American army would stay there even after December 2005 as specialists predict that the whole stabilizing process might take from five to eight years. The Polish contingent will be reduced in January 2005 from the recent 2,500 to 1-1,500 soldiers, but even after their complete withdrawal the military equipment they used will remain there as a gift for the emerging Iraqi army.

Minister says troops to withdraw from Iraq at the end of next year

****

On Edit, More from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/04/iraq.polandtroops/

[LosinIt]

1. OK, So NOW can we forget Poland?

Would that be acceptable now Georgie?

[murielm99]

2. Well, fuggedabout Poland! nt

[strizi64]

3. I didn't forget Poland, they will leave * ! n/t

[sasquatch]

4. Geez, we're gonna miss those glass bottomed battleships of Poland

:silly:

This is going to be a Daily Show joke, I just know it:)

[msanthrope]

6. They come with screen doors, too....... n/t

[sasquatch]

11. I thought was there submarines?

:shrug:

[Albertan]

5. But ... but

You forgot Poland!

[0007]

8. ....and we have this coalition of the willing


wrong!

[0007]

9. -

-

[ClintonTyree]

7. Oh no, we've lost Poland.............

and as everybody knows, as goes Poland, so goes the war in Iraq. This must be devastating to our Commander in Chief! I wonder if Kerry will remark about this in the next debate? Bush has lost one of his staunchest allies!

[Polemonium]

10. Ring it from the roof tops - we've lost Poland

Granted only 1% to 2% of the troops, but W. open this door, lets slam it so lound his big ears ring.

[Hekate]

12. Ooops. Sounds like *Poland* forgot Poland!

Bye, guys; I know this gig was a rum deal. Can't say I blame ya.

Back when the media were announcing which nations sent what number of troops, I read that Poland was sending 200. For some reason that struck me as very funny, rather like the number of knights in armor a medieval duke might send away as his pledge to his king. Two-hundred. And that puts them near the top of the donor list.

Hekate

[aneerkoinos]

28. 2000

Third largest Coalition partner remaining after UK and Italy

[Hekate]

33. My apologies

I either mis-read the number, or it was a typo in the article I read back then. Either way, I'm sorry to have gotten it wrong.

Sigh. It's nothing against the Poles, of course -- or the Micronesians, who are also our allies in this misadventure, or anyone else. The damage BushCo has done to their soldiers, our soldiers, and our moral stature on this planet is absolutely incalculable.

Hekate
:cry:

[TaleWgnDg]

13. Poland? Poland?

"Well, actually, he forgot Poland. . . . I don‘t appreciate it when (a) candidate for president denigrates the contributions of these brave soldiers. . . . Our coalition is strong. It will remain strong, so long as I'm the president." -- GWBush, 9/30/04

OH, POLAND IS LEAVING????

. . . . . . . . . . .

[AnnitaR]

14. You just know Kerry is going to use this at next debate!

God how hysterical is that going to be! Poor little Chimpy's head is going to pop off! LOL!

[Aunt Anti-bush]

15. I'd say Poland is sending Bush a strong message

by doing so. It sounds like they want Bush to know they aren't on his side after he made such a big deal about them being our ally during the first debate.

[sweetheart]

16. Poland hsa not forgotten aggressive war and occupation

They know better, and this sign that they have not forgotten
their allies or their common sense is a welcome sign.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Timing is everything! Thanks for the nooz! n/t

[wellstone dem]

18. Edwards now has

additional material for his debate.

[meti57b]

19. How many troops does Poland have in Iraq??

[MADem]

20. 2,500 n/t

[jmcgowanjm]

21. Those 2500 will hav to be replaced

Can there be any doubt that any son/daughter ages
18-25 especially medical personnel
will be in the military this time next year.

http://tbrnews.org/Archives/a1115.htm#003

[aneerkoinos]

29. And

With Poland go Ukraine, Bulgaria etc., probably the whole division lead by Poland.

[meti57b]

22. thank you!

[swag]

23. echo "Poland to Quit Iraq" from Sky News

POLAND TO QUIT IRAQ

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13231079,00.html

Polish troops will start to withdraw from Iraq in the New Year and all will be out by the end of 2005, the country's president has promised.

Poland is the fourth-largest contributor of troops to the coalition in Iraq - with 2,500 - and there is strong opposition at home to the deployment.


President Aleksander Kwasniewski said the Iraq situation would be different after January, when general elections would take place ahead of the creation of a national Government.

"That is the reason why we decided to speak with the Iraqis and with our coalition partners, the United States, about a reduction of the Polish forces from January 1 and maybe to finish our mission at the end of 2005," he said.

[Bluebear]

24. Now the Bush Faithful will boycott what, kielbasa?

nt

[gottaB]

27. I like my sausage with sauerkraut and mustard, and french fries

I would hate to go to a RNC picnic. What do they eat, Turkey dogs?

[dansolo]

25. Poland is putting us on their "Do Not Call" list

[Steelangel]

26. Good to hear that

How many countries are still 'fighting' in Iraq with America now?

Does it mean that will Bush & his Admin change from Polish sausage to Freedom sausage?

[StupidFOX]

30. There was never a better time...

For this news. Hilarious :crazy:

[aneerkoinos]

31. Get the joke?

I get the impression that some people think that the joke about "You forgot Poland" is that Poland is insignificant coalition member. It is not. It has 2500 troops and is leading a multinational division of about 9000 troops.

The joke is that Kerry correctly said that there were only 3 countries invading Iraq - US, UK and Australia. Bush tried to correct him - wrongly! - that Poland took part in the invation. It didn't. Polish troops were sent to Iraq in August 2003.

[StupidFOX]

32. Yup...

Bush usually tiptoes RIGHT up to a lie, but stops just short every time. This time he finally went overboard.

[Moderator]

34. kick

:kick: