Reluctant ally

last updated 8 January 2015

Warsaw

More than half of Poles oppose their government’s decision to send troops to Iraq, a public-opinion survey showed this week. Because of its steadfast support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq, the Polish government has been the poster child for the “new Europe”—in contrast to the anti-war governments of France and Germany. As part of its military commitment, Poland is deploying 2,000 troops to lead an international peacekeeping force that will administer a zone in southern Iraq. But voters are unhappy with the deployment. Nearly 55 percent oppose the action; 70 percent said they feared it would inspire terrorists to target Poland.