Brown won't pull UK troops out of Iraq: U.S. official

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

Brown won't pull UK troops out of Iraq: U.S. official
By Sophie Walker
Mon May 21, 9:13 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Washington is confident British prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown will not pull British troops out of Iraq early, a senior U.S. official said on Monday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official told reporters Washington had an "excellent level of discussion and dialogue" with the British government on future policy in Iraq.

Finance minister Brown was confirmed last week as Britain's next prime minister.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's resignation after a decade in power was forced in part by voter anger over his support for the U.S.-led war and British media has been buzzing with talk that Brown may speed up the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq to assuage the public.

"We have absolutely no such understanding. We believe there will be continuity within the UK government over the approach to Iraq and Afghanistan," the official said. "No, I would not look at any precipitate, unilateral or sudden departure here. We do not believe we can afford to leave Iraq," the official said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070521/wl_nm/britain_iraq_dc

[annabanana]

1. Just because he's anonymous, it doesn't mean he's not lying. . . . .n/t

[Monkeyman]

2. Yep

[grytpype]

3. Don't be misled, Brown is going to pull out Brit troops as Blair had already announced.

Remember, the UK already announced troop pullouts and Brown is going to follow that schedule. If you read the WH's statement carefully it's not inconsistent with that.

[Cobalt-60]

4. Wishful thinking presented as established fact

Standard Republicon Procedure.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Are we now dictating British policy?

Perhaps it is time for the English to break away from King George!

[rodeodance]

6. Poodle II coming soon!

[cliss]

7. They probably will pull out

most of their troops.

It's an issue of money. The UK can't hold on indefinitely. For them to provide troops for this long, it's cost them quite a bit of dough. Waging wars is expensive, and the money's almost run out.

They'll leave a nominal number, just for "show" and bring the rest home is my guess.

[Theduckno2]

8. The use of "early" and "sudden" are subjective, leaving Bushco to decide their meaning.

This strikes me as just typical face-saving boilerplate. Given Bushco's unwillingness to commit to any timelines, who could say what "sudden" is?

If I ever get to Washington D.C., I will try to meet with the "Unnamed Official" that makes all these announcements, for that person seems to be the only person really 'in the know' in Washington D.C..

I just wonder if they use a paper bag over their head just like "The Unknown Comic". I know, dated material, but I laughed. :rofl:

[LeftishBrit]

9. So now our government's policies are up to a 'senior US official'?

Who is this official? Cheney?

[ShortnFiery]

10. I wonder HOW MUCH that our USA Military Industrial Complex is paying Brown off? n/t

[Kolesar]

11. Italy, Spain, Japan, and Britain have "limited sovereignty"

The US Military determines what bases go into that country and what operations happen at those bases. There are CIA listening sites in Japan that even the Japanese don't know what goes on there. Presumably, they have their antennas pointed at the Russians. Ha ha ha ha ha