US asks Britain to deploy troops in more parts of Iraq: TV

[Barrett808]

LONDON (AFP) - The United States wants Britain to deploy troops in more volatile parts of Iraq, as a new offensive on insurgent-held Fallujah looms, reports from Britain said.

"Ministry of Defence sources have told Channel Four News that the US military has lodged a formal request for our troops to cover forces which are to be re-deployed for a renewed offensive against insurgents in the rebel city of Fallujah," Britain's Channel Four television said on its website, www.channel4.com.

"Its understood that the commanding officer of the reserve betallion of the Black Watch is looking at a request for some 650 personnel to provide cover for the Americans," it said.

Some 8,000 British troops are currently in Iraq but they are all in the relatively quiet, oil-rich south of the country, with their headquarters in Basra city.

Channel Four said its sources had "emphatically denied" that British troops go into either Fallujah or Najaf, another insurgent hotbed. They suggested instead that the soldiers might be sent to Baghdad or other sectors.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041015/pl_afp/iraq_britain_us_troops&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[leftchick]

1. lots of luck chimpy*

I believe the Brits are scaling back soon. What was that about a draft aWol*?

[takumi]

2. "When Donkeys Fly!"

[bpilgrim]

3. just till after the election...

ours not theirs or the iraqis, then will get our draft on.

peae

[VegasWolf]

4. Good, this should make poodle even more popular!!!

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[cliss]

5. That statement....

"...to provide cover for the Americans". So let's see if I understand this: the British are going to send in troops to risk their lives for the Americans.

This reminds me of the thread last week about RumsFailed going to NATO. He said, "we need troops and support and we need it gifted".

I get the feeling that we're not really asking for these things. bet RumsFool is demanding this.

I hope NATO and the U.K. say no.

[AP]

6. Some questions I have:

- Is Basra quiet because of anything the British are doing? It's more ethnically homogenous, right?, which makes a difference.

- I think Bush prefers the chaos. So why's he asking the British to get involved in the hot spots? Does he think Blair needs to suffer a little more. Does he want more British deaths so that the press can go to town on Blair? Or does Bush think the British could calm things down.

With a request of 650 troops, you have to assume that the purpose is to get them caught in the crossfire and not to help quiet things down. It's not like the US doesn't have 650 troops. If the US had asked for 2000, that would seem like a number that would make a difference. 650 doesn't.