The Polish public is less than supportive about sending soldiers into Iraq

The Polish public is less than supportive about sending soldiers into Iraq. But as Poland readies for its largest peacekeeping mission ever, soldiers say they are looking forward to showcasing their military prowess while offering Iraqis a helping hand. The Polish-led force of 9,000 will include soldiers from 22 countries and be responsible for enforcing security in south-central Iraq. A command staff of about 250 already is in Iraq, and 2,000 Polish troops left Tuesday for the Middle East. Officially they start their tour of duty Sept. 1. While Poles initially greeted the army mission with pride at their country's steady advance on the world stage, near-daily reports of enemy attacks on U.S. forces have sharpened awareness of the dangers and soured many citizens on the mission. In the first poll measuring sentiment about the mission, 55 percent of 952 Poles surveyed in early July said they were against sending troops, while 36 percent supported the mission. The survey had a margin of error of 3 percentage points. For the soldiers, the mission - Poland's largest military operation since World War II - will allow them to show how much the Polish military has modernized since it was little more than an oversized Soviet satellite force 13 years ago.