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| Europe |
| Poland's Premier to Discuss Iraq With Bush |
| 2004-08-08 |
| Poland's premier headed to the United States on Saturday for talks with President Bush, saying he plans to explore ways to reorganize the Polish-led multinational force in Iraq in the wake of troop withdrawals by Spain and other countries. Prime Minister Marek Belka, who served as the director for economic policy for the U.S.-led provisional authority in Iraq until March, told The Associated Press he plans to talk with Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and others about the prospects of transferring more military duties to Iraqis in the Polish-led zone. "My point would be to do everything to strengthen Ayad Allawi," Belka said, referring to the Iraqi prime minister. Belka, speaking in an interview at Warsaw airport before departing on his two-day trip to Washington, said he would ask Bush: "What is the prospect of increasing the role of the Iraqi uniformed forces?" Poland has led the multinational force since its inception after the end of the war. It once was a 23-nation force of 9,500 troops responsible for south-central Iraq but has dwindled to 6,200 troops from 16 countries after several pulled out, most notably Spain, which withdrew its 1,300 soldiers after the election of a new government this spring. Poland has stressed it will not abandon its role leading the force, even though it is unpopular at home, but has said it would like to reduce its troops from 2,400 to between 1,000 and 1,500 and put more of the burden on Iraqi forces by early next year. Belka said he would try to address the logistics of such changes when meeting Monday with officials at the White House and Pentagon, and press the importance of forging ahead with plans to give Iraqi forces more responsibility. "We clearly need it," Belka said. "I don't think anyone can be pleased with what is going on in Iraq, including President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld." But, he added: "It's not about being pleased or displeased, it's about our common goal, which is how to stabilize Iraq." |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #11 I wonder if this deluge of |
| Posted by: FlameBait93268 2004-08-08 6:56:59 PM |
| #10 Jeez, somebody give Ellen another Cookie. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-08-08 1:36:13 PM |
| #9 Invasion of the non-English speaking trolls today. |
| Posted by: virginian 2004-08-08 12:12:31 PM |
| #8 ...the Spinach or the Fallopians? LOL! Love that, tu! |
| Posted by: GreatestJeneration 2004-08-08 8:42:43 AM |
| #7 The Ploish troops? When did they get there? Must be replacements for the Spinach or the Fallopians who pulled out. See, I can speak troll. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-08-08 8:40:20 AM |
| #6 Oh, Hellen! It just gives me goosebumps when you get all commanding and everything! Wooo! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-08-08 8:34:03 AM |
| #5 He will tell Bush to pay more or I will withdraw the ploish troops. |
| Posted by: Hellen 2004-08-08 7:30:16 AM |
| #4 rex - That would be an excellent use of some of that money! I thought the death benefits to the spouse decision recently was an excellent thing to have done. I will say that, given the risks, the jobs being offered in the police and various forces must not be that poorly paid - they line up every day and present an inviting target to the bomber assholes. Risk / reward common sense tells me it can't be terrible. But better pay and benefits would, indeed, be better - especially in the "quality" of recruits that would likely respond. They are going to need the best professional officer & Sr enlisted corp they can muster - and soon. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-08-08 1:52:31 AM |
| #3 You are right.com. It appears there are more Iraqis on the front lines as of late. I think it would help Iraqi police and military morale if the US would pay them better, too. The $80 Billion approved for re-construction in Afghanistan and Iraq has hardly been spent because it has been so unsafe for contractors to do the work. So I think some of that $ should be spent on Iraqi front-line salaries. Last I heard the Iraqi police and military were not paid very well. |
| Posted by: rex 2004-08-08 1:17:55 AM |
| #2 rex - It does seem that the burden has indeed begun to shift. Given how many Iraqi police / security forces actions have occurred lately, it appears that there is close cooperation with the US/UK military. At the least there is an Iraqi face out front, and it appears that when the threat assessment says they can handle it - they're going it alone or with only advisors with air assets available. The current dustup with Tater & The Tots (heh, AC!) seems to be the exception - with Sistani OOTC, well, time for hardball and speed. I'd say they are being helped and used wisely - since the handover. The Iraqi bloggers are starting to show pride in them - and they're taking serious hits to earn it. Hell, just standing in line to sign up is serious business. It's happening, IMHO, and more often than not they seem to be acquitting themselves. The key allegiances won't ever change: family/clan/tribe... the next 3, flavor(of Islam) / Muslim / Iraqi, will flip around according to the deal struck by Tribal Leaders, barring any outstanding blood fueds, etc. So Allawi & Gawar must've schmoozed with tribal tea drinkers... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-08-08 1:01:48 AM |
| #1 put more of the burden on Iraqi forces by early next year This is essential and the sooner the better. Until Muslim Iraqis invest their own lives and the lives of their loved ones in their country's national security, they will see the lives of other "infidel" countries' soldiers as expendable. Sorry but that's the truth. Muslims are more closely connected by religion and ethnicity to one another[even to bad guys I suspect]than by gratitude to their infidel liberators. |
| Posted by: rex 2004-08-08 12:46:40 AM |