The Poles change their minds: 400 men as reinforcements in Afghanistan
(B2) The Polish government finally changed its mind and, despite the budget pressure, should send 400 men as reinforcements to Afghanistan, according to our Polish colleagues from Gazeta. That is 2000 men in all against 1600 now. 1200 of these 2000 men would be in combat groups participating directly in operations.
Three elements have, it seems, played in this change of position: the situation on the ground, the pressure of the Americans and the change of military strategy.
1. The situation on the ground seems far from the ideal recounted in some reports. According to a testimony collected by the Polish daily: “ They fire on us with machine guns, grenade launchers, even mortars. They're chasing our armored personnel carriers ". On Tuesday, a Mrap armored vehicle almost jumped on an improvised explosive device, fortunately it did not explode. A few days earlier, a Rosomak was damaged by a mine. Etc...
2. The Americans are preparing to launch a vast offensive in the neighboring provinces of Wardak and Logar. And the Poles in charge of the province of Ghazni fear to suffer the consequences, thus seeing an influx of Taliban who would withdraw under the effect of the American offensive. The American command is well aware of this effect. And has also warned his Polish colleagues that they should manage. "We'll only help them if we can explains Col Haight, commander of US troops in Wardak and Logar. " But my job is above all to defeat and drive out the Taliban who are at the gates of Kabul ”system. (read here the article published in English in Gazeta). Note that the province of Wardak was not a Taliban zone in 2001. But they came back in force afterwards.
3. Like the Americans, the Poles, who have already had 9 dead, want to adopt a more offensive attitude. Do not wait to jump on a mine or fall on an ambush, but lay ambushes to bring iron to the enemy. The Poles should also benefit from a reinforcement of 200 Mongols. Seasoned troops with whom cooperation apparently went well in Iraq.
(NGV)
