Poland has repatriated 34 soldiers from Iraq for psychiatric problems

[Barrett808]

WARSAW (AFP) - Poland, one the major contributors to the US-led coalition in Iraq, has repatriated 34 soldiers from its 2,500-strong force for psychiatric problems, a defence ministry official said.

"PTSD syndrome (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) has been diagnosed among seven soldiers in the first contingent (in 2003), 23 in the second, and four in the current one," Colonel Miroslaw Karasek told journalists.

All of these soldiers have been brought back to Poland, he said on the sidelines of a conference in Warsaw on psychological support for soldiers on foreign missions.

People who suffer from the PTSD syndrome, which is provoked by exposure to life-threatening events, often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks and suffer bouts of anxiety and sometimes aggression.

Poland, one of Washington's staunchest allies since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, heads a multinational zone in in south-central Iraq, but there is strong opposition to the deployment at home.

Seventeen Polish nationals have died in Iraq -- 13 soldiers and four civilians.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041012/wl_mideast_afp/poland_iraq_041012173844

[SudieJD]

1. I Read..

that the largest amount of soldiers sent by Poland was only 800.

Sudie in MN

[daleo]

2. Cannon fodder for Bush

"What about Poland?"

[shanti]

3. well, well, well

so we aren't the ONLY ones...

[Ilsa]

4. Who?

What were they doing in iraq?
;)

[maxsolomon]

5. NOW i remember!

http://www.youforgotpoland.com

i COMPLETELY FORGOT THEM.

[kslib]

6. Nice link!!!