Poland to keep troops through 2006

Another ally extends their much appreciated help in the Iraq front of the GWOT. (BBC) The new conservative government's decision reverses the previous leftist administration's plan to pull troops out in early 2006. Poland, a staunch ally of the US, has about 1,500 troops stationed in Iraq, as part of the US-led coalition. Among other US allies, Bulgaria, Hungary and Ukraine have already decided to withdraw their forces. But Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, elected in October's parliamentary elections, has asked the Polish president to keep them there for another year. "This is a very difficult decision, but we take into consideration the fact that the mandate of UN stabilisation forces has been extended to the whole of 2006 and, secondly, strong requests of Iraqi authorities that we stay there," he said. That's what I call a Christmas gift! Thanks Poland!