British Forces 'Will be Targeted by Iraqi Insurgents'-- Independent, UK

[Gloria]

1//The Independent, UK 20 October 2004
Full WMW up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=573931



BRITISH FORCES ‘WILL BE TARGETED BY IRAQI INSURGENTS’

By Anne Penketh and Kim Sengupta in Baghdad

Iraqi insurgents are likely to target British troops if they redeploy, trying to drive a wedge between Britain and America and force a British withdrawal, independent military experts warned yesterday.

Colonel Christopher Langton said public debate about the possible redeployment of up to 1,000 British soldiers from Basra was "rather unfortunate" and could jeopardise British troops by "highlighting it so graphically". He added: "The insurgency will see this as a weakness they can attack, and the British public can now say 'I told you so'," to the Government. That is the way the insurgents work."

Colonel Langton edited the annual military survey by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), released in London yesterday.

(SNIP)

People in Fallujah and military sources in Baghdad say militants who escaped the American encirclement of the city have fanned out into the farmlands around Latifiyah, where the British contingent is expected be. The IISS reports: "With Osama bin Laden's public encouragement, up to 1,000 foreign jihadists may have infiltrated Iraq." Christopher Bellamy, professor of military science and doctrine at Cranfield University, said the redeployment "opens up the opportunity for elements of the insurgency to attack the British, knowing there is concern about the deployment".

He said the tactical aim of the insurgency was to drive a wedge between the US and Britain, and added: "We are advertising this in advance. It is like saying, 'Stick the chisel in here'."

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[bemildred]

1. No shit? They might attack weaknesses?

Well, let's tell them in case they had not thought of it.
Where do they get these clowns?
:puke:

[Gloria]

2. They are stupid, aren't they?? And Blair is even more stupid!

But, I forgot....we are now and empire and in a different reality....LOL

[daleo]

3. Bush could care less about British deaths

He doesn't really care about American deaths. I think he just wanted to prove to the world he could make the poodle do his bidding. So, publicizing the redeployment was all part of the game.