"You forgot Poland!!!!!"

[Tmy]

Lucky for Bush this was annocunced this week instead of last. Kerry would jummped all over him during the debate.

Has the coalition been shrinking since the start of the war??

Poland to Reduce Force In Iraq (http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1347208,00.html)

Poland will significantly reduce its number of troops in Iraq by the end of 2005, the country's defense minister said on Monday. The move could reflect some Poles' increasing dissatisfaction with American policies.

In the run-up to the US-led invasion of Iraq, Poland was one of America's staunchest supporters. All of Poland's major political parties supported the war and 2,500 troops were sent to help with the war effort. Those soldiers now lead an 8,000 strong multinational force, which controls south-central Iraq.

But Poland's Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski was quoted in Monday's issue of the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza as saying that Poland would significantly reduce its commitment to the region. According to the report, Poland will reduce its forces in Iraq by 40 percent -- from 2,500 to 1,500 -- by the end of 2005.

[demon]

Yes, those damn Barszcz-slurping Surrender Monkeys...and no one seems interested.

quote:
Poland Official: Troops Should Leave Iraq
Monday October 4, 2004 12:16 PM

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA

Associated Press writer

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland, a key U.S. ally in Iraq, should withdraw its troops from the Mideast nation at the end of next year, Poland's defense minister said in an interview published Monday. It was the first time a Polish official has indicated when Warsaw might end its presence in Iraq.

Jerzy Szmajdzinski argued that 2 years in Iraq would be ``enough'' for the Polish military, and said his suggestion was aimed at countering ``cheap populism'' by opponents of the Polish presence. Prime Minister Marek Belka said he had not been consulted on the remarks and would meet Szmajdzinski later Monday, Poland's PAP news agency reported.

``In my opinion, the deadline (for Poland's mission) should be the date of expiry of the U.N. Security Council's resolution 1546,'' Szmajdzinski was quoted as telling the Gazeta Wyborcza daily. That resolution provided for the handover of power to Iraqi authorities, with steps that run through the end of next year.

Poland last year took command of a multinational security force in central Iraq that currently includes about 6,000 troops - among them more than 2,400 Polish soldiers. Leaders have previously said they hope to scale down the Polish presence significantly after parliamentary elections in Iraq scheduled for January.

Szmajdzinski said a mission of 2 years in ``such difficult conditions'' was a major challenge for a former Warsaw Pact army that is still ``reaching new capabilities and introducing new equipment.''

``It is enough,'' he said. ``It is a rational period of time.''

Still, Szmajdzinski said that, if a new international mission is approved beyond December 2005, ``a group of some officers would most probably remain in staff offices, in training centers, maybe also a group of observers.''

The Iraq mission has broad mainstream political support. However, a leading member of Belka's junior coalition partner, the Labor Union, has called on Belka to present a plan for the withdrawal of Polish troops from Iraq ahead of the vote.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/278...r_says_c:.shtml
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Well, Poland is a land of many contrasts and contradictions so it`s horses for courses I guess.
Most east European countries have had to choose who to suck up to in the new world order of classless globalisation. The poles are the most pro-American and anti-EU, as far as I remember, in no small part because it was clear long ago that they'd be a shoe-in for the first round of EU expansion. At this point, with NATO membership in the bag, they've been currying favour with Washington while the media pours scorn on the imperial project in Brussels.
I seem to remember reading that they're angling for the American bases in Germany to be moved next door. This was the essence of Rumsfeld's insight into old/new Europe as far as I can determine.
Elsewhere, beggars can't be choosers. The Romanians in particular keep tying themselves in knots trying to figure out which way to jump and the pressures from the EU and the US often conflict.
One case in point was when the EU enforced a ban on international adoptions to crack down on baby trafficking whereupon the US said it would veto Romania's NATO application unless all the yanks who'd spent the best part of 20 grand on securing themselves a nice white baby in the pipeline didn`t lose out. This provoked a colossal diplomatic spat with no clear winner.
But the US got a nice new black sea base out of it all, Romania joined NATO and it'll be a long time until those orphanages stop filling up with babies after so many sales to the highest bidder in the past.

[Crossbow]

Don't forget about Fiji! They have almost 12 troops there.

By the way, the vast coalition of 44 countries is down to about 30 now.

[Jim Bowen]

Ironically, I was talking about this with my Grandad tonight. He's in favour of bring our squaddies back to blighty, because they're onto an hiding for nothing. He's 83, very deaf and blind in one eye. Now if he can see this it makes you wonder why Blair can't. Perhaps there's a moral in this somewhere:p

Jim Bowen (whose Gran makes a lovely cup of tea:) )

[Cleon]

Originally posted by Jim Bowen
He's in favour of bring our squaddies back to blighty, because they're onto an hiding for nothing.

I think I speak for everyone born/raised on the west side of the Atlantic when I say, "WTF DOES THAT MEAN??!!!?!"

[Matabiri]

Originally posted by Cleon
I think I speak for everyone born/raised on the west side of the Atlantic when I say, "WTF DOES THAT MEAN??!!!?!"

"He's in favour of bring our squaddies back to blighty, because they're onto an hiding for nothing."

=

"He's in favour of bringing our troops back to Britain, because what they're doing will bring no benefit."

[/translate]

[Jim Bowen]

Good translation, Matabiri - I should have posted with less slang in it. Mind you, I could make things really tricky by posting everything in the local patois...;)

Jim Bowen (still trying to work out why he's watching Rocky IV on telly)

[Cleon]

Thank you!

Considering my icon, you'd think after years of watching BBC-generates stuff I'd have some idea, but you guys across the pond keep surprising me. :)

[Matabiri]

I dunno; I thought everyone understood that sort of slang. You mean they don't have Commando comics in the States?

[demon]

Cleon:
"Considering my icon, you'd think after years of watching BBC-generates stuff I'd have some idea, but you guys across the pond keep surprising me."

I suggest a marathon viewing session of "Dad`s Army" and "It ain`t half hot mum"...should just about cover most of our colloquialisms:)

[Matabiri]

Originally posted by demon
I suggest a marathon viewing session of "Dad`s Army" and "It ain`t half hot mum"...should just about cover most of our colloquialisms:)

And for education about the past, present, and future, Blackadder and Red Dwarf (up to season V only, really).

[Jim Bowen]

And for a good grounding in some Northern lingo, try Early Doors or Phoenix Nights...

Jim Bowen