Two Poles in three against military role in Iraq, survey finds

WARSAW (AFP) Apr 28, 2004
Poles overwhelmingly and increasingly oppose the involvement of their country's armed forces in the coalition stabilisation force in Iraq, according to a survey by the CBOS institute published Wednesday.

It found that 66 percent of the 993 people questioned were against any involvement, up from 60 percent in March, while 29 backed the presence of Polish units with the coalition forces, down from 36 percent last month.

Half of those interviewed wanted Polish forces pulled out of Iraq as soon as possible, while 43 percent were against.

The survey, conducted between April 2 and 5, found 48 percent backed the decision by the new Spanish government to withdraw its military contingent from Iraq, while 38 percent disapproved of it.

Poland is a major contributor to the international force in Iraq, with about 2,500 troops in the country. It administers a zone south of Baghdad at the head of a multinational force reduced to 6,500 troops after the withdrawal of Spanish and Latin American detachments.

WAR.WIRE