Poland Will Lead Iraq Peacekeepers

This article posted April 30 informed us of several things, according to a NATO source via the daily Rzeczpospolita;

Polish general Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, who was a senior Polish representative in NATO and the current number two in the Polish army, "was one of the serious candidates" to command the international units in Iraq.

and...

It said the United States was "ready to fully finance the participation of the Polish contingent in the stabilisation force" in Iraq and had asked Warsaw to send between 2000 and 4000 soldiers, while the Polish defence ministry "has in mind a figure of 1500".

Lo and behold according to an AP report today Poland will lead Iraq peacekeepers.

French diplomats said Paris had no objection to authorizing the help to the Poles, who are expected to assemble at least 7,000 peacekeepers in a force expected to deploy next month to work between a U.S.-run northern zone and the British-controlled south.

The assistance is expected to involve setting up a headquarters, intelligence sharing, communications and logistics, but no direct NATO involvement on the ground.

"We are not talking about a NATO presence in Iraq, we are talking purely and simply about NATO help to Poland," said Lord Robertson, the alliance's secretary general.

Poland is expected to provide 2,200 troops to lead its force in Iraq. Bulgaria will contribute 450 soldiers, but it was not immediately clear which other countries would join.

Polish officials estimate the mission will cost $90 million a year, of which Poland is ready to pay one-third. Warsaw would like the United States to pay the remaining $60 million_ covering costs like the troops' transport to Iraq, their barracks and some of their equipment, such as Humvees. So far, Washington has not committed to the financing.