Free Republic

Poland's top World Politician of the Year for the third straight year. Polling agency CBOS asked 1,089 adults between Jan. 7 and Jan. 10 to name the world leaders who most commanded their respect in 2004. Ukraine's new, reformist President Viktor Yushchenko was second followed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Poland is one of the United States' most loyal allies in the European Union. Prior to the U.S. elections in November, opinion polls showed Poland to be one of the few countries in the world where people favored Bush over his Democratic rival...

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb 14, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The Dutch Air Force on Friday began loading Patriot defense missile systems onto freighter ships destined for Turkey in case of a U.S.-led war against Iraq, a day before planned anti-war demonstrations in the Netherlands, military officials said. The Dutch government agreed to provide Ankara with three ground-to-air missile batteries after receiving a bilateral request for assistance. Turkey fears it could be targeted by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein with scud missiles. NATO has been divided over the issue of starting planning to protect Turkey, the only alliance member which borders...