Britain admits secret planning to cut Iraq forces

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8544060/

Britain has not decided to withdraw troops from Iraq, although contingency planning is under way, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s office said Monday.

A leaked government memorandum shows Britain is considering scaling back its troop presence from 8,500 to 3,000 by the middle of 2006, saving nearly $1 billion annually.

The memo, marked “Secret — U.K. Eyes Only,” and signed by Britain’s Defense Secretary John Reid, also says there is a “strong U.S. military desire for significant force reductions.”

<snip>

Blair’s official spokesman, who speaks on customary condition of anonymity because he is a civil servant, said the memo merely confirms the government’s long-standing plan to train Iraqi forces and gradually hand over security responsibility.

“It should come as no surprise that we are going through the thinking process of how we achieve that,” he said. “But as John Reid said, the process of transfer will only come at the point where the Iraqi government and ourselves believe that the Iraqi forces are capable of taking that load. Has there been a political judgment to withdraw? ... No.”

[bahrbearian]

1. “strong U.S. military desire for significant force reductions.”

Isn't 2006 some kind of election year?

[RamboLiberal]

2. Ding Ding Ding - you win the prize

"We'll stay the course" - until it looks like we (meaning R's) might lose the majority!

[bahrbearian]

3. What did I win ? a Draft Deferment?

[RamboLiberal]

4. ROFL - If you want!

Send a Young Repuke in your place!

[justinsb]

5. Well with the number of dead and wounded mounting

and the number signing up falling it would definitely look better to have a "planned troop reduction" than an unplanned troop reduction.

[sophist]

6. Bring them all home now!

[mom cat]

7. I just love these British memos. It is a jolly good trend. I wonder if a

certain poodle is getting tired of being kicked!
Dods tend to leak if they are kicked too hard!

[bemildred]

8. More "faith based" military planning.

Used to be called "Vietnamization". Didn't work then either.
The interesting question is what Iran is going to do when we withdraw?
Instead of N. Vietnam and S. Vietnam, we have E. Iran and W. Iran, or
the soon to be founded "Greater Shiiastan".

[IndianaGreen]

9. It is not called "cut and run" when the GOP proposes it.

For our part, tomorrow is not soon enough to withdraw all US troops from Iraq.

You think this "leak" is related to the 2006 elections?

[Inland]

10. Remember Nixon's secret plan for peace in Vietnam?

The one that took four years to come to fruition?

Now memos are being leaked about a plan so secret that Bush won't admit there even is one---but he expects to win votes for it anyway.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Funny, this story was reported two days before the London attack

MoD plans Iraq troop withdrawal
>By Jimmy Burns and Peter Spiegel
>Published: July 4 2005 22:02 | Last updated: July 4 2005 22:02
>>

The Ministry of Defence has drafted plans for a significant withdrawal of British troops from Iraq over the next 18 months and a big deployment to Afghanistan, the Financial Times has learnt.

In what would represent the biggest operational shake-up involving the armed forces since the Iraq war, the first stage of a run-down in military operations is likely to take place this autumn with a handover of security to Iraqis in at least two southern provinces.

Defence officials emphasised that all plans for Iraqi deployments were contingent on the ability of domestic security forces to assume peacekeeping duties from UK troops. Iraqi forces have so far proven unable to take over such roles in areas where the insurgency is most intense, and progress has disappointed coalition officials.

But senior UK officers believe the four south-east provinces under UK command, which are largely Shia and have not seen the same violence as more Sunni-dominated areas north of Baghdad, may be ready for a handover earlier than those under US command.

http://financialtimes.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=FT.com%2B%2F%2BWorld%2B%2F%2BUK%2B-%2BMoD%2Bplans%2BIraq%2Btroop%2Bwithdrawal&expire=&urlID=14745110&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2Fa1384df4-ecbc-11d9-9d20-00000e2511c8%2Cft_acl%3D%2Cs01%3D1.html&partnerID=1701

LynnSin posted this on 07-05, two days before the attack. You don't think maybe Bu$h wanted to give the Brits a wake up call? Nah, I already wear too much tinfoil.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4018951

[truthisfreedom]

12. ahh, now i know why bushie told the US troops to stay out of London.

looks like bush and blair had a little tiff at G8.