US Tells Generals To ‘Lay Off’ Britain As Mahdi Army Claims It Forced Basra Truce

[Purveyor]

SENIOR American defence officials have ordered a halt to transatlantic bickering over the British withdrawal from Basra.

According to sources in Washington, a “very senior defence figure” told the joint chiefs of staff, the heads of America’s armed forces, that the “sniping against Britain must cease”.

He reminded them that not only was Britain one of the few allies on which the United States had been able to depend throughout the six years since the September 11 attacks, but it was the only one with war-fighting capability.

After a damaging row that had seen former generals from both sides trading insults about each other’s approaches in Iraq, the relative peace and quiet that descended over Basra last week as British troops withdrew from the Basra Palace complex on the banks of the Shatt al-Arab scarcely suggested defeat, despite the celebratory gunfire of the Mahdi Army.

---EOE---

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article2414597.ece

[cliss]

1. Damn right they need to shut up.

The fact that Britain is leaving Basra is a huge vulnerability for the US. But not for the reasons one might think.

It's not so much about Britain leaving, it's what will happen when they leave.
The US is claiming that "If we leave, there will be so much bloodshed, it will be complete chaos, everything will crater if we go". "We have to stay".

When Britain leaves, it will probably be quiet, peaceful, they will just pack up their things and leave. And the Iraqis will be glad to see them go. This blows apart one of the biggest arguing points for the US occupation.