Britain to send more troops to Iraq

[leftchick]

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=662125

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will send another 220 troops to Iraq to fill the gap left when Dutch forces pull out as planned in March, the government says.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on Thursday military chiefs had decided that a force of around 600 was enough to cover the southern province of Muthanna, now patrolled by nearly 1,400 Dutch soldiers.

Most of those will come from British units already deployed in Iraq but an extra 220 troops will be needed to provide logistics and other support.

"Dutch forces have made good progress in al Muthanna, both in ensuring the stability of the province and building the capability of the Iraqi security forces," Hoon said in a parliamentary statement.

[Stella_Artois]

1. Hmmmmm

A reduction in total numbers is better news than more US troops. I'd rather be in a region covered by Brits rather than US troops.

The Brits just beat you up, the US troops shoot you and bomb your street into rubble.

[dutchdoctor]

2. 600 British troops = 1400 Dutch troops?

Notice that 600 British soldiers are apparently capable of doing the same work as 1,400 dutch marines?
hmmm.. The dutch army couldn't fight its way out of a paper bag, good thing the Iraqis didn't know this..

[Stella_Artois]

3. Thats not quite what the article says

""Dutch forces have made good progress in al Muthanna, both in ensuring the stability of the province and building the capability of the Iraqi security forces," Hoon said in a parliamentary statement.

"This means that a significantly smaller force package is now able to perform these tasks"

This is the south don't forget. You don't hear much about it on the news because there isn't much to report. Its fairly quiet compared with other parts.

[emad]

4. UK sends 220 more troops to Iraq

BBC


An extra 220 British troops are to be sent to Iraq, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced.

An MoD spokesman said they would replace Dutch troops who are due to return home in March.

The announcement came on the day Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy called on Tony Blair to outline a "proper exit strategy" after Sunday's poll in Iraq.

Last week the prime minister told Mr Kennedy there were "no plans to expand the British contribution".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4212655.stm

[underpants]

5. That's should do the job then

Okay that is settled

[Voltaire99]

6. Fool Britannia

Yet no more fool than us, alas.