While Bush pushes propaganda: "Britain’s Basra Pullback Raises Supply-Line Fears"

[ProSense]

Britain’s Basra Pullback Raises Supply-Line Fears

By THOM SHANKER and STEPHEN FARRELL
Published: September 16, 2007

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 — As British troops pull out of their last base in Basra, some military commanders and civilian government officials in the area are concerned that the transition could leave them and a major supply route to Baghdad at greater risk of attack.

The route, a lifeline that carries fuel, food, ammunition and equipment for the war, crosses desert territory that is home to rival militias and criminal gangs. In interviews, Americans stationed in the southern provinces and Pentagon planners say they are closely watching the situation there as the British pass security responsibility to local Iraqi units.

There is little talk of increasing the American troop presence along the major supply route, which links Baghdad and Kuwait and is called M.S.R. Tampa, although officials in Baghdad and Washington say other options include increased patrols by armed surveillance aircraft, attack helicopters and combat jets.

The significant attention being paid to security in southern Iraq came as the senior allied commander, Gen. David H. Petraeus, announced plans in Washington this week to reduce American troop presence by five combat brigades across the country by next summer.

General Petraeus, in an interview this week, said he was confident that continued allied and Iraqi patrols along the supply routes, and a growing Iraqi security presence in the south, would guarantee protection of the desert roadways.

more

[hobbit709]

1. Brilliant move

Isn't there something in Tactics 101 that mentions securing your supply lines. But then, after 4 1/2 years we can't even secure the 8 miles of road between the airport and the Green Zone.

[madrchsod]

2. if the iraqi`s would have had some fight in them

that mad dash in the desert to baghdad that ended up stalling south of the city could have been a major disaster for our troops. if the iraqi`s would have ied`d paved the roads to baghdad the troops would have been forced to take more routes into the desert.

leaving maybe a bigger problem than going in

[bemildred]

3. I could have sworn I heard Chuck Hagel say we are paying "tribute"

to keep the supply route open as it is.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Yes--he said that. I guess we are bribing our enemies now--pathetic.

[Kagemusha]

4. Self-deleted

I misread the original post's topic, sorry.

[bemildred]

6. I don't think that is what he meant. nt

[hedda_foil]

7. Isn't Basra Iraq's only port on the Gulf?

Seems to me thats what was reported 4-1/2 years ago. So instead of taking the hand-off of the most critical supply point, the brilliant General Petraeus lets the Brits hand the whole kit and kaboodle over to local troops? Yeah. That'll work. They were damned f**ing lucky they weren't cut off from their supply lines going in. It came within a hair's breadth of that if I recall correctly and even then, the troops were left with virtually no food and less water for weeks if not months after they entered Baghdad. This is even more insane than usual.