Iraq–Poland relations

In the mid-19th century, under Ottoman rule, Polish physician and émigré activist Stanisław Drozdowski took part in eradicating the plague epidemic in Baghdad for which he was awarded the title of Pasha of Baghdad.{{cite book|last=Judycki|first=Zbigniew Andrzej|year=2020|title=Lekarze polskiego pochodzenia w świecie|language=pl|location=Kielce|page=33|isbn=978-83-936896-5-1}}

In 1942, during the evacuation of Polish civilians from the USSR in World War II, some Polish military personnel under General Władysław Anders, were evacuated to Iraq, while some Polish civilians went to refugee camps in Iran.The Polish Deportees of World War II: Recollections of Removal to the Soviet Union and Dispersal Throughout the World (ed. Tadeusz Piotrowski: McFarland, 2004), pp. 10, 97.

In the 1980s, Poland stayed neutral in the Iran–Iraq War.The Soviet Union and the Middle East (Vol. 11), Soviet and East European Research Centre of the Hebrew University (1986), p. 29.

{{Main|Operation Simoom}}

In August 1990, following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, Polish intelligence agents rescued six U.S. intelligence officers out of Iraq (via Turkey). At the time, several thousand Poles were in Iraq working on construction projects, given them a greater ability to avoid detection by Iraqi intelligence. Poland's assistance to the U.S. during the Persian Gulf War, which was revealed in 1995, led to closer U.S.-Poland relations.John Pomfret, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/01/17/polish-agents-rescued-6-us-spies-from-iraq/e31165d3-e6e5-4cf1-babc-763a06e463a2/ Polish Agents Rescued 6 U.S. Spies from Iraq], The Washington Post (January 17, 1995).[https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/18/world/during-gulf-war-polish-agents-saved-6-american-spies.html During Gulf War, Polish Agents Saved 6 American Spies], Associated Press (January 18, 1995).

{{Main|Polish involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq}}

In 2003, Poland participated in the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq, sending about 200 special forces initially.{{cite book|author=Wayne C. Thompson|title=Nordic, Central and Southeastern Europe 2012|page=330|edition=12th|date=2012|publisher=Stryker-Post}} During the Iraq War, Poland was responsible for the Polish zone in Iraq, between Baghdad and Basra; this was one of the four occupation zones in Iraq at the time. Within Poland, there was some disappointment over a sense "that Poland derived too little benefit from its deployment: its efforts to end the visa requirement for the U.S. were rebuffed, and its military complained that it did not get as much financial assistance as it had expected." In 2006, more than 10,500 Polish troops were in Iraq. At the end of 2008, all 900 Polish troops remaining in Iraq were withdrawn, with about a dozen Polish military advisors remaining.{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/Polish_Close_Iraq_Mission/1293972.html|date=October 3, 2008|title=Polish Military Marks Close of Iraq Mission|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty}}

After the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant threatened Iraq in 2014, Poland provided humanitarian aid to Iraq{{cite journal|title=Historical experiences, strategic culture, and strategic behavior: Poland in the anti-ISIS coalition|author=Fredrik Doeser|volume=18|number=4|journal=Defence Studies|year=2018 |pages=454–473|doi=10.1080/14702436.2018.1502038 |s2cid=158668846 |doi-access=free}}{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/poland-is-back-in-iraq-e11ea63cb92f|title=Poland Is Back in Iraq|first=Joseph|last=Trevithick|date=19 August 2014|work=War is Boring|via=Medium}} and gave political support to Operation Inherent Resolve, but hesitated for nearly two years before joining the anti-ISIL military campaign in June 2016. Poland has been an active member of the anti-ISIL coalition since.{{cite web|url=https://pulaski.pl/en/new-strategy-in-the-fight-against-isis-what-role-for-poland/|title=New strategy in the fight against ISIS - What role for Poland?|publisher=The Casimir Pulaski Foundation|date=12 February 2016}}

File:Ambasada Iraku.jpg

• Iraq has an embassy in Warsaw.
• Poland has an embassy in Baghdad.

• Foreign relations of Iraq
• Foreign relations of Poland

{{reflist}}

• [https://bagdad.msz.gov.pl/en/root Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Baghdad]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140208014232/http://www.mofamission.gov.iq/ Embassy of Iraq, Warsaw]

{{Foreign relations of Iraq}}

{{Foreign relations of Poland}}

{{Portal bar|Politics|Iraq|Poland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iraq-Poland relations}}

Poland

Iraq