In the firing line
Poland became just the fourth country, after the US, the UK and Australia, to commit forces against Iraq, although Denmark would quickly join the "coalition of the willing." The deployment of the Polish force is to last from March 19 until September 15.
The decision to send in the troops was signed by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski late last Monday, after a proposal was presented by the cabinet earlier in the afternoon.
"Poland builds its policy on the belief that lasting and steadfast co-operation between Europe and the United States has a key significance for the maintenance of international peace," read a cabinet statement. "Guided by the interests of our national security, we seek to strengthen our allied ties."
The president would later say that the legal basis for the Iraq campaign and the country's participation in it was United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441.
The deployment is limited to a maximum of 200 soldiers charged with specialist assignments. Thirty-two members would be added to the 24-strong GROM special forces unit already in the region. A 74-person chemical-warfare team would also be dispatched. The force would be completed by the logistics support ship Xawery Czernicki, which is already in the Gulf region, and the 53 military personnel on board.
However, the PSL raised doubts about the legality of the decision to send the troops to Iraq. Leading party figure Janusz Wojciechowski pointed out that the decision had been taken without any consultations with the Sejm or the main political parties.
"In accordance with the constitution," he said, "a state of war is declared by the Sejm, and the president decides on the use of Polish troops abroad on the motion of a government."
In addition, the PSL questioned whether it was right to take such a decision, when it went against the will of the majority of the population. A recent survey showed that 69% of the public opposed the country's participation in the war. Just 2% said they approved of the deployment of Polish troops.
Despite the objections, in the town of Brodnica a contingent from the IV Brodnicki Chemical Regiment heading off to the war was bid an official farewell. In an address to the troops, Kwaśniewski said, "Poland could always be proud of its military. Good luck and see you soon on Polish soil."
Commented one of the soldiers: "If I claimed I was not frightened, I would be lying. I do not treat this as an adventure, but as a mission, and it is most likely that we will have to work in the face of real danger."
The decision to send in the troops was signed by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski late last Monday, after a proposal was presented by the cabinet earlier in the afternoon.
"Poland builds its policy on the belief that lasting and steadfast co-operation between Europe and the United States has a key significance for the maintenance of international peace," read a cabinet statement. "Guided by the interests of our national security, we seek to strengthen our allied ties."
The president would later say that the legal basis for the Iraq campaign and the country's participation in it was United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441.
The deployment is limited to a maximum of 200 soldiers charged with specialist assignments. Thirty-two members would be added to the 24-strong GROM special forces unit already in the region. A 74-person chemical-warfare team would also be dispatched. The force would be completed by the logistics support ship Xawery Czernicki, which is already in the Gulf region, and the 53 military personnel on board.
However, the PSL raised doubts about the legality of the decision to send the troops to Iraq. Leading party figure Janusz Wojciechowski pointed out that the decision had been taken without any consultations with the Sejm or the main political parties.
"In accordance with the constitution," he said, "a state of war is declared by the Sejm, and the president decides on the use of Polish troops abroad on the motion of a government."
In addition, the PSL questioned whether it was right to take such a decision, when it went against the will of the majority of the population. A recent survey showed that 69% of the public opposed the country's participation in the war. Just 2% said they approved of the deployment of Polish troops.
Despite the objections, in the town of Brodnica a contingent from the IV Brodnicki Chemical Regiment heading off to the war was bid an official farewell. In an address to the troops, Kwaśniewski said, "Poland could always be proud of its military. Good luck and see you soon on Polish soil."
Commented one of the soldiers: "If I claimed I was not frightened, I would be lying. I do not treat this as an adventure, but as a mission, and it is most likely that we will have to work in the face of real danger."
