US anxious to keep British in Basra

[jefferson_dem]

Source: Guardian

US anxious to keep British in Basra
Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Julian Borger
Tuesday August 7, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The Bush administration is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of an imminent British withdrawal from southern Iraq and would prefer them to remain for another year or two.

British officials believe that Washington will signal its intention to draw down US troops after a much-anticipated report next month by its top commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, clearing the way for Gordon Brown to announce a British withdrawal in parliament the following month. An official said: "We do believe we are nearly there."

It is not known whether President George Bush expressed concern about the withdrawal of the remaining 5,000 British troops when he met Mr Brown in Washington last week. But sources in a position to know, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said the White House is worried about the political consequences of losing British troops, mainly for political reasons.

A source said: "If the difference is between the British leaving at the end of the year or staying through to next year or the year after, it is a safe assumption that President Bush would prefer them to stay as long as the Americans are there."

The Bush administration, focused on the north, west and central Iraq and the "surge" strategy that has seen 30,000 extra US troops deployed, has until recently ignored the south, content to leave it to the British.

It is only now beginning to pay attention, amid the realisation that what was portrayed as a success story is now turning sour. The UK government no longer claims Basra is a success but denies that it is a failure, with British troops forced to abandon Basra city for the shelter of the airport.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2143581,00.html

[rodeodance]

1. will Brown be a puddle

[RamboLiberal]

2. US uneasy as Britain plans for early Iraq withdrawal

Source: The Guardian

The Bush administration is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of an imminent British withdrawal from southern Iraq and would prefer UK troops to remain for another year or two.

British officials believe that Washington will signal its intention to reduce US troop numbers after a much-anticipated report next month by its top commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, clearing the way for Gordon Brown to announce a British withdrawal in parliament the following month. An official said: "We do believe we are nearly there."

It is not known whether George Bush expressed concern about the withdrawal of the remaining 5,000 British troops when he met Mr Brown in Washington last week. But sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the administration was worried about the political consequences of losing British troops.

One source said: "If the difference is between the British leaving at the end of the year or staying through to next year or the year after, it is a safe assumption that President Bush would prefer them to stay as long as the Americans are there."

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Mr Pollack, who wrote on his return that there were signs that the surge was working, was dismissive of the British contribution over the past 12 to 18 months. He said: "I am assuming the British will no longer be there. They are not there now. We have a British battle group holed up in Basra airport. I do not see what good that does except for people flying in and out.




Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2143879,00.html

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Pollack sure is an arrogant little sucker!

[Hardrada]

3. We have a lot of arrogant little bloodsuckers in the

administration. We need a strong broom to sweep them all away.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Chickenshit cut-and-runners. Don't they realize

that we expect them to stay in a sort of pointless Alamo-like limbo down there until we dismiss them?

[emilyg]

6. Good one.

[EClark5483]

5. Enact the draft

gotta make up for the troop loss some how.<---this was sarcasm BTW.