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18.03.04, 19:26
Kwas pekl !!!Poland 'Misled' on Iraq, President Says
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By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA, Associated Press Writer
WARSAW, Poland - President Aleksander Kwasniewski, a key Washington ally,
said Thursday he may withdraw troops early from Iraq (news - web sites) and
that Poland was "misled" about the threat of Saddam Hussein (news - web
sites)'s weapons of mass destruction.
AFP
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His remarks to a small group of European reporters were his first hint of
criticism about war in Iraq, where Poland currently has 2,400 troops and with
the United States and Britain commands one of three sectors of the U.S.-led
occupation.
"Naturally, one may protest the reasons for the war action in Iraq. I
personally think that today, Iraq without Saddam Hussein is a truly better
Iraq than with Saddam Hussein," Kwasniewski told the European reporters.
"But naturally I also feel uncomfortable due to the fact that we were misled
with the information on weapons of mass destruction," he said, according to a
transcript released by the presidential press office.
Earlier in the day, Kwasniewski said Poland may start withdrawing its troops
from Iraq early next year, months earlier than the previously stated date of
mid-2005. He cited progress toward stabilizing Iraq.
"Everything suggests that pullout from Iraq may be possible after the
stabilization mission is crowned with success and, in my assessment soon, it
may be the start of 2005," Kwasniewski told RMF-FM radio.
His comments came days after Spain's new government, taking power in the wake
of Madrid bombings apparently linked to al-Qaida, said it would pull its
troops from Iraq by June 30 unless the United Nations (news - web sites)
takes over.
The 9,500-strong multinational force that Poland commands in south-central
Iraq includes the 1,300 Spaniards.
Kwasniewski noted that Iraq now has an interim constitution and said should
soon have an interim government that will allow current forces to be replaced
by peacekeepers.
He insisted that Poland's possible early withdrawal would not be prompted by
fears of terror attacks or reprisals against his country for its role in
Iraq.
"We are facing the same threat as Spain," Kwasniewski said, but "terrorism
must be combatted, also with force."
Kwasniewski is a key European ally of President Bush (news - web sites),
although support for the military presence in Iraq has been far from
overwhelming among Poles.
A poll last week found 42 percent of adults in favor and 53 percent opposed.
The CBOS survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
