US wants British to move north into heart of Iraq fighting

[True_Blue]

The Ministry of Defence is resisting US pressure on Britain to extend its sphere of military influence in Iraq to some of the most violent parts of the country, including the capital Baghdad.

Britain is being leant on by the US military, although no formal request has been issued, to provide a new headquarters unit in south-central Iraq to replace Spanish troops being pulled out by the new Madrid government. That would take British troops into the troubled town of Najaf, where the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is holed up.

Some British military figures have also been told that UK forces may be asked to undertake a hearts and minds operation inside Baghdad, currently an exclusively US sphere of influence.

The MoD said all sorts of options were being considered, but played down suggestions that a large increase in the 8,000-strong present British contingent was likely.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1201410,00.html

[Nlighten1]

1. Uh oh...

Time for Tony to come under the pressure for a while.

[hadrons]

2. well, Dumbya has played Blair for a chum so far ...

why shouldn't think he wouldn't get away with it

[Safi]

3. Tony Blair was telling parliament today

that no more British troops would be sent. I took that as a 'yes', troops will be sent by July.

[kintaro]

6. blair: no; newspapers: yes

"1,700 extra troops could be sent to Iraq to replace Spaniards"

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=514322

and in german ...

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,296672,00.html

... just for confirmation.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi kintaro!!

Welcome to DU!! :tosst:

[Devils Advocate NZ]

4. Holy Shit! The US military really IS in trouble!

They are actually asking the Brits to come into their AO and carry out "hearts and minds" operations? That is an admission that they have LOST those "hearts and minds" and know that they are never going to get them back themselves.

THe US military is in big trouble in Iraq, and they KNOW it.

[Dhalgren]

5. 135,000 US troops are asking 8,000 British troops

to come and save their asses?! Good gods!! What the hell is going on?! If we have reached the point to where we are asking the Brits to come help us in Baghdad, why the hell aren't we loading up the planes and getting the hell out of there?! I mean this is ridiculous!