Britain sits on sidelines as Iraq's Basra burns

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain ruled out getting involved in heavy fighting in the Iraqi city of Basra on Friday, despite running battles on the streets and signs Iraq's forces cannot cope with a growing militant uprising.

U.S. war planes dropped bombs on rebel areas in an effort to help the Iraqi army regain control of the city, but Britain said its 4,100 heavily armed troops, based at an airport a few kilometres (miles) from the centre, would not join the fight.

"This is an Iraqi-led operation and it's one that we have wanted to see since they took responsibility for security in Basra," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence.

"It's going to take time, but it shows the Iraqi government's political will in taking on the militants."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2861963020080328

[TwilightGardener]

1. Brits to Bush: Fuck off, we're done.

[Javaman]

2. AKA calling moron* on his bullshit. nt

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. In a few days there will be talk of a US assault to retake Basra

from the insurgents.

[damntexdem]

4. That's exactly where Britain belongs, and belonged all along.

Of course, that's also where the U.S. belonged all along. But instead, the U.S. is getting burnt with Basra -- and Baghdad.

The U.S. is all dressed up in burnt surge ... I mean serge. ;-)

[calimary]

5. I wish somebody'd point this out - something ANY mother knows:

If you tote a child around all the time, that little one has no reason or motivation - or need - to learn to stand or walk on his/her own. Hey, would you bother, if you knew somebody was just gonna carry you around all the time so you didn't have to sweat it so much?

[fshrink]

6. Why do they maintain

an heavily armed troop there then? It's more like a baptism by fire. A training opportunity.