Finding the truth behind the "French missiles in Iraq" report

"Do not dramatize and don't think that the Defense Minister will be dismissed," the Prime Minister said on Monday, referring to the affair that emerged after a hasty announcement that Polish soldiers found recently made French Roland missiles in Iraq. Defense Minister Szmajdziński said, "The matter is not worth being blown out of proportion". He added that in an interview for Radio Zet that he only was informed on Wednesday about the rockets, and on Saturday about the alleged production date. However, an anonymous source in the Defense Ministry claimed that Szmajdziński had in actual fact immediately received a full description of the find. He said the statements of his Spokesman, Eugeniusz Mleczak, were "unauthorized" and forbid him to make any further statements. Meanwhile, General Czesław Piątas from the General Staff, blamed the soldiers who misidentified the missiles, and the media which rushed to spread the report. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1) M.K.