Polish Army Completes Mission in Iraq

In this 2008 file photo, a Polish soldier walks down the road to greet contractors at a hospital who are there to look at a supply unit in Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq. (Photographer: Spc. Alan Moos, Joint Combat Camera Center.)

Dispatches from the Front:

CAMP ECHO, Iraq, Oct 4, 2008 -- The Polish army declared a successful mission complete during a ceremony Oct. 4 at Camp Echo, Qadasiyah Province.

“Our mission in Iraq is coming to an end. We can say the goals of the mission have been largely accomplished. Over the past five years, we have fulfilled our commitment,” said Bogdan Klich, Polish Defense Minister.

The Polish army commanded Multi-National Division – Center South, which operated throughout the Qadasiyah Province. Polish forces completed 10 rotations in Iraq, which ended Oct. 1, and had 10 national contingents under its command including Armenia, Latvia, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Gen. Ray Odierno, commander, Multi-National Force – Iraq, attended the ceremony and spoke to the soldiers.

“You should be enormously proud of all that you have accomplished. You came not to conquer, but to liberate. You sought not personal gain, but liberty. And, you build not an empire, but a sovereign nation. You created hope where terror reigned, and you have made history,” Gen. Ordierno said.

During their rotation, MND-CS soldiers destroyed more than 18 million pieces of various munitions, manned 42,000 checkpoints and conducted more than 70,000 patrols and convoys.

MND-CS conducted more than 22,000 humanitarian and civil assistance projects to purify water, improve electrical power stations, re-establish the educational infrastructure, rebuild and remodel medical facilities and administrative buildings.

Polish forces transferred the operating area to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

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