Joint Polish-German-Danish peace-keeping force for Iraq

Poland has proposed to the United States that its soldiers team up with German and Danish troops to keep the peace in one region of post-war Iraq. Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński said such a unit could be based on a joint Polish-German-Danish NATO corps now stationed in northwestern Poland. Berlin, an opponent of the U.S.-led war that toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, was "surprised" by the Polish proposal but Defense Minister Peter Struck would discuss it with European colleagues, his spokesman said in Berlin. German newspapers have been blunter, with one dubbing Poland America's "Trojan ass" and another accusing Warsaw of supplying the United States with mercenaries. "There will be a pledging conference in Warsaw on May 22-23 and a final decisions will be taken there," said Szmajdziński. (Reuters) M.M.