Special Report: Britain to cut troop levels in Iraq

[BlueNomad]

Well, this should cause a few talking head comments tomorrow morning on the Sunday show circuit....

Special Report: Britain to cut troop levels in Iraq

Jason Burke, chief reporter
Sunday September 19, 2004
The Observer

The British Army is to start pulling troops out of Iraq next month despite the deteriorating security situation in much of the country, The Observer has learnt.

The main British combat force in Iraq, about 5,000-strong, will be reduced by around a third by the end of October during a routine rotation of units.

The news came amid another day of mayhem in Iraq, which saw a suicide bomber kill at least 23 people and injure 53 in the northern city of Kirkuk. The victims were queueing to join Iraq's National Guard.

More than 200 people were killed last week in one of the bloodiest weeks since last year's invasion, strengthening impressions that the country is spinning out of control.
....

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1307980,00.html>

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. What makes you think the talking heads

read the commie guardian?

I mean it, if this is not on CNN teevee it did not happen

Yes I am in a particularly cynical mood

[BlueNomad]

5. ...

it will get talked up...maybe late but eventually...LOL

[DivinBreuvage]

17. I agree, Brit pullout does not mesh with theme of Happy Free Good War Iraq

and hence will not be discussed... UNLESS they spin it as proof of how well the war is going. My huncch is that they will just keep their mouths shut, though.

[demoman123]

2. I think they have been withdrawing troops all along.

The number of British troops said to be in Iraq has steadily gotten smaller over the past year.

[BlueNomad]

4. ....

"The forthcoming 'drawdown' of British troops in Basra has not been made public and is likely to provoke consternation in both Washington and Baghdad. Many in Iraq argue that more, not fewer, troops are needed. Last week British troops in Basra fought fierce battles with Shia militia groups."

[SpiralHawk]

3. Score another "triumph" for pResident AWOL

"The war is going beautifully," says he of WMD lies and alibis. "What the hell, who needs allies? Everyone loves us."

"I think the American people--I hope the American--I don't think, let me--I hope the American people trust me."
- George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2002

[bluestateguy]

6. Guess who will have to make up for those losses in Basra?

Guess who? But don't worry, the Brits won't pull out until the "end of October", and we know what comes the next week in the United States. Another 1500 Americans will then be packed up and sent on an all-expense government paid vacation in Basra.

[saigon68]

7. IT WILL BE EXCITING FOR THEM

I hear the natives are gong to throw flowers and cheer, Especially the Peaceful cleric, Al Sadr.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. You forgot the candy,

you forgot the candy

I dunno what is in them candies? They have an HE quality to them.

[trueblew]

9. Let's get some Saudi troops in there.

[ninkasi]

10. How misguided the Brits are...

"More than 200 people were killed last week in one of the bloodiest weeks since last year's invasion, strengthening impressions that the country is spinning out of control."

This is the excuse they are using? We know, since all of the "liberal" media have faithfully reported that it's not a tragic, colossal, mind shattering fucked up war...no, this is yet another attemp by those devious Iraqi turrists to deprive the little twit of the job which is his by Divine will.

I needn't add the sarcasm label, right?

[Rose Siding]

11. BBC: "UK 'would increase Iraq troops'"

What a difference a day makes?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3665960.stm

The UK would send more troops to Iraq "if necessary" to safeguard planned elections, Geoff Hoon has said.

"If it is necessary to put a few extra troops in to provide appropriate security for the elections we will do that," the defence secretary said.
...........
He said Britain was "still absolutely determined" that elections should take place, but recognised that there may be "some extra tasks" as the date nears.

"We will respond accordingly," including extra troops, he added.

"We've always made it clear that we will adjust the number and nature of our troops in Iraq in the light of military advice according to the security situation on the ground," he said.

[jwirr]

13. It was their damn support

that has allowed people to assume that bushie did the right thing. If Tony Blair had stood up with the rest of Europe and the world in the first place maybe more of our own people would have questioned the war earlier.

[Jacobin]

16. It would have been much harder for the U.S to do it without Britain

But I think Smirk would have done it anyway. Remember, he's a complete idiot and a fool.

[Mother Jones]

29. ah pardon me Jacobin....

...but it's GLOBAL village idiot, thanks...


Worst. President. Ever.

[KoKo]

12. I thought Britain had 30,000 troops at the beginning of the war! Americans

would be shocked to know it's only 5,000. Blair is covering his butt for his own election. Especially after the "Secrets" report came out yesterday saying Bush/Blair were drawing up plans to invade Iraq a year before we did it. And, that Jack Straw had questions about "the plan" for post invasion.

Sounds like the "Secrets Leak" was cover for Blair to pull out troops saying he needed to do it politically because of pressure from revelations.

Chimp is almost alone now, except for the Poles and the Austrailians...

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. I wonder how long until Poland pulls out

and the Australian contingent is pittifully small... and may be pulled after Howard looses

[Massacure]

15. Poland is pulling out or is due to pretty soon

If I recall, they said they were not going to extend their troops deployment. I'm not sure when it ends though.

[VolcanoJen]

18. KICK!

:dem:

[Alabama68]

19. Brits are learning from Spain

After a few train bombings, Spain learned their lesson and got out of Iraq. We are losing badly and need to do the same.

[xxqqqzme]

20. is this gonna put a little

do-do pile in the middle of squatter's dog 'n pony show starring Allawi?

[Zorra]

21. Bu$h and the PNAC are using US troops as a global police force.

They'll just send more American soldiers to replace the Brits. They don't care how many of us they kill, or how much we have to pay for war.

We are their slaves. They go to war for profit, they can make us fight it or go to jail. They go to war for profit, and our taxes pay for it. And they get rich on war profits.

And there is not a damn thing we can do about it, except to elect John Kerry and other Dems and get these rotten monsters out of office ASAP.

If Bu$h gets re-selected, there will be a draft, and Bu$h and the PNAC will have unlimited cannon fodder for their "glorious" quest for empire.

[airstrip1]

22. No surprises here.

The British army knew that the invasion of Iraq was doomed before it started.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,669030,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/30/1027926884871.html

So did the British Foreign Office. Only vain, prancing fools like Tony Blair actually thought it had any chance of success. Now the shit is really hitting the fan the politicians in Britain are starting to get cold feet. They know that if the Shia population in the south rise en masse then their troops are dead meat. The clowns in the White House very nearly precipitated such a disaster last month with their incursions into Najaf. The only way to reduce the possible impact of such a scenario is to cut the number of British soldiers on the ground. This act would at the very least put an upper limit on the potential number of casualties. Despite protestations of support for the occupation by Blair and Hoon, you can expect the troop reductions to continue

[0007]

23. I've noticed a considerable amount of distance between the poodle

and junior these days, how come?

[Barrett808]

24. Blair meeting w/ Allawai...British hostage taken...

Think this announcement is a coincidence?

[robertpaulsen]

25. Big kick for the Coalition! LOL!

:kick:

[Riptide]

26. Has anyone seen this reported in the American press?....

I am sure they are much too busy thinking about Michael Jackson and slamming Kerry to actually report that our main "coaltiion" partner is cutting and running.

[Jacobin]

27. Why, no, I don't believe it has been reported here.

Of course, that would make Bush* look bad, so don't expect to see it.

[struggle4progress]

28. kick

:kick:

[Mother Jones]

30. The Coalition of the leaving

continues....


Whazamatta? Rumania isn't going to pick up the troop slack?