Iraq - British to evacuate consulate in Basra after mortar attacks

Daily Telegraph (UK) (excerpt) ^ | October 30, 2006 | Thomas Harding

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

The British consulate in Basra will evacuate its heavily defended building in the next 24 hours over concerns for the safety of its staff.

Despite a large British military presence at the headquarters in Basra Palace, a private security assessment has advised the consul general and her staff to leave the building after experiencing regular mortar attacks in the last two months.

The move will be seen as a huge blow to progress in Iraq and has infuriated senior military commanders. They say it sends a message to the insurgents that they are winning the battle in pushing the British out of the southern Iraqi capital, where several British soldiers have died and dozens have been injured.

~ snip ~

[freema]

USMC ping to the Army. Must see: bnelson's link.

[bill1952]

He is another one percenter libertarian.

Not that I don't like him, but if one truly believes that Bush invaded Iraq because of a plot to kill dad, then...well, nuff said.

[elfman2]

"Maybe if Saddam had tried to kill Blair's daddy the Brits be more willing to bankrupt themselves forcing democracy onto people who don't want it."

Oh yea, our economy’s bankrupt and falling apart. Your insight into Bush’s character is as brain dead as your perception of economics.

[sure_fine]

and this guy trying best he can to appease that POS cleric Sadar



BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered the lifting of joint U.S.-Iraqi military checkpoints around the Shiite militant stronghold of Sadr City — another apparent move to assert his authority with the Americans and appeal to his Shiite support base.

All barricades and checkpoints around Sadr City and elsewhere in Baghdad must be lifted by 5 p.m., al-Maliki said in an order issued in his capacity both as prime minister and commander of the Iraqi armed forces.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,226357,00.html

[From One - Many]

Plan B should have been started on 9/12. THEN, they would have been more interested in plan A.

Had Plan B been used; this war in the middle east would be finished by now and we would have a whole lot less dead on our side. As it is now, we will lose more people and the war will still not be won. I certainly do not understand our strategy. We can win this war in thirty days or less, if we have a mind to do so. So what are we afraid of.....?

[OldArmy52]

Afraid of? Simple:
(1) the Democrats.
(2) see (1).

[Marine_Uncle]

What is not dicussed are the Brits plans to perhaps go after those that are lobbing the mortar shells into the compound.
I do hope they start to take a more aggressive approach to the over all situation that has been brewing in southern Iraq for a few years. They do not have adequate forces in place for one thing, and they had farted around entirely to much with marginal dangerouse groups associated with both the Badr brigade and the Mahdi army.
Diplomacy only goes so far in this type scenario.

[SFC Chromey]

...a private security assessment has advised the consul general and her staff to leave the building...

---

Yeah, they had ACME Security come in and do an assessment. They got skerred at the first boom, crapped their shorts, and said we gotta get the #(*& outta here!

They should have relied on the MILITARY assessment. Sandbag the roofs, and sit tight.

[TomasUSMC]

We can win this war in thirty days or less, if we have a mind to do so. So what are we afraid of.....?

====
EX ACT LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[freema]

As does farting.

There I was, reading another of your great analysis and you throw in 'farting'?! I'm absolutely cracking up!

Can't quit chuckling. : )

[Marine_Uncle]

Mom. Glad I made you laugh. Sometimes we get so absorbed in the details of often sad things, we forget humor should be introduced upon occasions where warranted.

[gogogodzilla]

So... instead of establishing a 'no man's land' around the consulate that is greater than the range of the mortars, the British decide to evacuate the consulate?

Yeah, that'll ensure the terrorists learn the right lesson... that lobbing mortars will drive out the 'invaders'.

Whereas the other option would ensure that the terrorist learn that lobbing mortars would... hurt their fellow countrymen while not affecting the 'invaders' at all.

Hmmm...