Poland shifting its Iraq focus from war to business alliance

Poland shifting its Iraq focus from war to business alliance
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, May 18, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — After spending nearly six years as a member of the coalition providing security to Iraq, Poland is preparing to draw down the last of its troops from Iraq later this year, but America’s European ally has no intention of closing the book on Iraq for good, according to Poland’s ambassador to Iraq, Gen. Edward Pietrzyk.

Instead, Pietrzyk said, with stability established in the Iraq province Poland’s military forces are overseeing, economic partnerships are his country’s new priority.

Poland contributed 2,700 soldiers to the Iraq coalition in 2003 and Pietrzyk, who was commander of Poland’s Land Forces at the time, came with them as their leader.

Poland, and Pietrzyk, was then assigned command of 12,000 international troops in the Multi-National Division-Central South region, including Diwaniyah province.

Since then, most of the international coalition members have left, and the Polish contingent has also gradually drawn down. After 10 six-month rotations, it now numbers about 900 troops, with the last Polish troops scheduled to leave in October, Pietrzyk said.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54893