Poland 'not planning Iraq troop pull-out'

Poland is not considering a troop pullout from Iraq even though the country’s outgoing prime minister said Spain’s plans to withdraw troops could not be ignored, a government spokesman said in Warsaw.

“Poland will be in Iraq as long as it necessary, until the situation there is stabilised,” spokesman Marcin Kaszuba said.

“Poland has not and is not considering a troop withdrawal.”

Earlier, the Polish news agency PAP quoted Prime Minister Leszek Miller as saying that Poland “cannot turn a blind eye” to the Spanish pullout in comments hinting that Warsaw may be having doubts about its Iraq mission.

“We will not make any rash gestures,” Miller said. “The final decision about the pull-out will be agreed and thought over, but the problem exists.”