Thanks for the info. As always, I think a lot of these conflicting press reports are just speculation. I suppose we’ll just have to see where we are in 6months. The UK government is still maintaining that withdrawals will be conditions based and that, by the end of next Spring, UK forces will still have the capability to intervene in support of Iraqi forces.
Just out of interest, what’s the situation with Karbala? I believe that a month or so ago 50 people were gunned down there in militia fighting. I have heard that it has just been handed by the US back to the Iraqis? Was this to exploit Al-Sadr’s 6 month cease-fire?