One of Ours

Poland is ready to keep its 2,500 troops in Iraq until Baghdad holds free general elections, which should be organized by the end of January 2005, Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said on Thursday.

“Our mission in Iraq with same number of troops has…sense in forthcoming months,” he told reporters. “The situation will be different when Iraq holds general elections. From this moment Polish forces could be significantly reduced.”

Prime Minister Leszek Miller said on Wednesday Poland was reviewing its engagement in Iraq, although it would not pull its troops out suddenly or without the agreement of the United States.

Poland leads a 9,500-strong multinational force in south-central Iraq. Spain and some central American states plan to withdraw their troops from the force, leaving Warsaw scrambling for ways to keep peace in the region...