British raid reveals Basra's troubled core

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BAK046777.htm

British raid reveals Basra's troubled core

BAGHDAD, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Basra was supposed to be a success story, a place where British troops could bring peace and stability after decades of Saddam Hussein's rule.

But in recent months, and particularly the last three weeks, order has been steadily unravelling in the mainly Shi'ite city, culminating in Monday's violence, when British troops had to mount a raid to free two of their soldiers held by militiamen.

It was some of the worst violence British troops have faced since they helped lead the invasion of Iraq 2-1/2 years ago, and threatens to raise tension sharply between the local population and Britain's 8,500-strong military force.

...

The larger context is the very poor situation in Basra, where the British are not really in control of things," Toby Dodge, an Iraq analyst at Queen Mary College, University of London, said in reaction to Monday's military operation.
"A myth had been perpetrated that the Brits are great and everything's okay in Basra. But the softly-softly approach was not nation-building."

[Kagemusha]

1. Hey, Basra was doing great before the Iraqis had an election.

Then it all went downhill...

[fedsron2us]

2. With only 8,500 troops

I do not see what other approach the British army could adopt in Basra. In Ulster they needed 30,000 troops to police a far smaller population. Blair has asked his troops to do a job for which they simply do not have the men and materials. As usual politicians are willing ends for which they are not prepared to supply the means. In addition, the recent stirring of the pot over Iran's nuclear power program is hardly helping the situation. With regard to the University of London academic's comments, I assume he got his PhD in stating the bleeding obvious. I notice this bright spark did not elucidate exactly what 'nation building' activities need to take place. Presumably this is because like everyone else outside Iraq he has not got a clue how this is going to be achieved.