Smart move by Blair

[billvon 2,435]

I commend Tony Blair for having the courage to buck the US administration and do the right thing for Iraq and for the UK. British troops will soon be home to their families, and terrorists in Basra will be denied their targets. It is ironic that Tony Blair rather than George Bush is getting the benefit of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations, but that's life. Let's hope Bush decides to heed their recommendations as well.

[rehmwa 2]

I think the British withdrawal is contingient upon the Iraqi's "behaving themselves" or some such recent announcement.

I think the Danes have actually put out their timetable.

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buck the US administration and do the right thing for Iraq and for the UK

Perhaps you might consider giving the Brits, Danes, etc the credit that they thought they were in it for what they felt were the 'right' reasons instead of just calling them lapdogs to the US govt's idea of the right reasons.

Right or wrong, I'm thankful for them being allies.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 2,435]

>I think the British withdrawal is contingient upon the Iraqi's "behaving
>themselves" or some such recent announcement.

Sounded pretty definitive to me. "The issue is the operation that we have been conducting in Basra is now complete."

[rehmwa 2]

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>I think the British withdrawal is contingient upon the Iraqi's "behaving
>themselves" or some such recent announcement.

Sounded pretty definitive to me. "The issue is the operation that we have been conducting in Basra is now complete."

Basra - "Mission Accomplished"

by recently saying "contingient on Iraqi's behaving themselves", I mean I heard it on the drive from picking up my salad it was on the radio.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

Apparently this is a wise move according to the White House Spin.....after all the chatter from the Bush admin on how this new buildup is needed, apparently it is only needed in Baghdad:

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President Bush sees this as a sign of success and what is possible for us once we help the Iraqis deal with the sectarian violence in Baghdad," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

"The President is grateful for the support of the British forces in the past and into the future. While the United Kingdom is maintaining a robust force in southern Iraq, we're pleased that conditions in Basra have improved sufficiently that they are able to transition more control to the Iraqis.

"The US shares the same goal of turning responsibility over to the Iraqi security forces and reducing the number of American troops in Iraq."

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"The British have done what is really the plan for the country as a whole, which is to transfer security responsibility to the Iraqis as the situation permits," Rice said at a press conference in Berlin, where she was in meetings on the Mideast peace process. "The coalition remains intact and, in fact, the British still have thousands of troops deployed in Iraq."

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"I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well," Cheney told ABC News while in Tokyo.

"In fact, I talked to a friend just the other day who had driven to Baghdad down to Basra, seven hours, found the situation dramatically improved from a year or so ago, sort of validated the British view they had made progress in southern Iraq and that they can therefore reduce their force levels," he added.

Meanwhile from Cheney:

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"I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we will do is validate the Al Qaeda strategy,"

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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>I think the British withdrawal is contingient upon the Iraqi's "behaving
>themselves" or some such recent announcement.

Sounded pretty definitive to me. "The issue is the operation that we have been conducting in Basra is now complete."

The first waves to return home will be in April and apparently the date is already set.

You have to wonder if there is any long term plans for supporting that region after they leave.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[jakee 1,259]

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Perhaps you might consider giving the Brits, Danes, etc the credit that they thought they were in it for what they felt were the 'right' reasons instead of just calling them lapdogs to the US govt's idea of the right reasons.

Uh, yeahhhhhh.

Remember the "45 minute" dossier? We were so far up Bush's arse we were doing his dentistry.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[SkyDekker 1,147]

So, the following question begs to be asked:

Is the UK military better at this than the US military, or are the Iraqis in Baghdad fiercer than those in Basra?

Or, is it due to Baghdad being bigger than Basra?

[kallend 1,649]

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So, the following question begs to be asked:

Is the UK military better at this than the US military, or are the Iraqis in Baghdad fiercer than those in Basra?

Or, is it due to Baghdad being bigger than Basra?

It's not a matter of "better". The US and UK military are trained differently and view their missions differently. The UK has much much more experience, both historical and recent, in policing and peacekeeping activities and dealing with other ethnic groups. The US focuses to a greater extent on combat.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[sundevil777 94]

He only announced about 1/4 or so of the British troops will return, right? Not all of them.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[rehmwa 2]

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We were so far up Bush's arse we were doing his dentistry.

Well, even if you don't think so, I think you are your own person.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[shropshire 0]

He's a politician.. so, everything that he does and the time that he does it, is for a reason.... trying to deteremine the reason(s), well that's where it gets difficult.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Gawain 0]

It was announced last year that the UK would draw down its forces in Iraq during '07.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[sundevil777 94]

Quite right, they've already done 2 other reductions so far.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[billvon 2,435]

>Perhaps you might consider giving the Brits, Danes, etc the
>credit that they thought they were in it for what they felt were
>the 'right' reasons . . .

?? I'm sure they were. Like I said, I am glad they are following their own path. (That implies they are NOT lapdogs. )

[rehmwa 2]

I can see that read.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rushmc 18]

Quote

I commend Tony Blair for having the courage to buck the US administration and do the right thing for Iraq and for the UK. British troops will soon be home to their families, and terrorists in Basra will be denied their targets. It is ironic that Tony Blair rather than George Bush is getting the benefit of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations, but that's life. Let's hope Bush decides to heed their recommendations as well.

I commend you for staying with your stripes and going with the spin.

Congrats

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

>I think the British withdrawal is contingient upon the Iraqi's "behaving
>themselves" or some such recent announcement.

Sounded pretty definitive to me. "The issue is the operation that we have been conducting in Basra is now complete."

The first waves to return home will be in April and apparently the date is already set.

You have to wonder if there is any long term plans for supporting that region after they leave.

5500 aprox to stay until at least after the firest of the year according to the news reports I heard today

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

Quote

So, the following question begs to be asked:

Is the UK military better at this than the US military, or are the Iraqis in Baghdad fiercer than those in Basra?

Or, is it due to Baghdad being bigger than Basra?

According the news I heard today. the area was not in as much termoil as Bagdad. The US intentionaly kept the most hostile areas and

the Brits had a troop surge to clean up the area some time ago

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Lucky... 0]

Yea, when will those stupid Americans figure it out?

[sundevil777 94]

Sounds like they were able to leave because the Iraqis are able to handle that area.

Sounds like no credit is due the Iraq Study Group recommendations.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[tbrown 26]

The Brit sector has largely become a defacto Shia republic, whether the Brits like it or not. With all their experience as failed colonialists from Ireland to India, they've got the good sense to call it a success and get out while the gettin's good. We should've done the same four years ago (better if we'd never gone there in the first place, but even the original plan called for most of our troops out by the summer of '03).

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[billvon 2,435]

> Sounds like they were able to leave because the Iraqis are able to handle that area.

It is NOT peaceful yet, and even the combined efforts of both sets of troops have been unable to stop the fighting - and Blair admits that. But you are correct in that he is leaving and hoping the Iraqis can handle things from here on out.

"What all of this means is not that Basra is how we want it to be. But it does mean that the next chapter in Basra's history can be written by Iraqis."

Which is how it should be. It's their country. Let's hope we realize that soon.

>Sounds like no credit is due the Iraq Study Group recommendations.

I guess it could be a coincidence that they are following its "internal approach" recommendations to the letter. Why do you feel that heeding the recommendations of a US panel is a rebuke to the Bush administration?

[sundevil777 94]

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I guess it could be a coincidence that they are following its "internal approach" recommendations to the letter. Why do you feel that heeding the recommendations of a US panel is a rebuke to the Bush administration?

Getting to where the Iraqis can handle areas by themselves, and then letting them do it and getting out was not a new idea that was only thought of by the study group. I think the British would be doing what they are doing now even if the study group had never been. That is why I say they are not due credit for the success of the Brits in their area.

I never said 'heeding the recommendations of a US panel is a rebuke of the Bush administration'. You give the Brits credit for "bucking" the US administration. I see it differently, they've simply had success in an area that is not the most violent. How is that bucking?

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Gawain 0]

Quote

Quote

So, the following question begs to be asked:

Is the UK military better at this than the US military, or are the Iraqis in Baghdad fiercer than those in Basra?

Or, is it due to Baghdad being bigger than Basra?

According the news I heard today. the area was not in as much termoil as Bagdad. The US intentionaly kept the most hostile areas and

the Brits had a troop surge to clean up the area some time ago

Basra is also not quite as diverse, isn't the "hub" of the country, doesn't see as much traffic from neighboring (and meddling) countries.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!