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Polish Leader Criticized for Iraq Decision

New Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz?s decision to extend Poland`s military mission in Iraq to at least the end of 2006 has drawn complaints from former government officials in Poland. Responding to appeals from U.S. officials, the United Nations, and the Iraqi government itself, the new plan will reduce Polish forces from nearly 1,500 to 900 in March, contradicting Poland?s previous cabinet?s vow to bring troops home by this week.

Polish officials report the 900 remaining soldiers of its 1,500-troop force will focus almost exclusively on training Iraqis while they wind down their mission over the course of 2006. Bulgaria and Ukraine have both recently withdrawn their forces, while a new poll shows most Japanese voters are in favor of a withdrawal of their troops.

A former Defense Minister of Poland, Jerzy Szmajdzinski, says "This decision overstretches Poles` patience." Another former Polish Defense Minister, Bronislaw Komorowski, of the center-right Civic Platform, says Poland had fulfilled its obligations in Iraq "110 per cent. I find no justification for our further presence."