Post 67 was directed towards FEE.
My angst is that our armed forces have always got a bad press in the US. Perhaps its historical bias. Perhaps you guys dont like how we go about things.
Just try not to believe everything you see and hear in the media. A tactical withdrawal outside the city of Basra by the Brits was somehow interpreted as a ‘retreat’. This simply isnt the case. We were becoming part of the problem, instead of part of the solution. Would people rather we ran the city as an overseas territory?
I agree, actually. But I think nearly every American has great respect for the British military... huge history (we’ve gotten over all that stuff in the past), honor and a willingness to pull the trigger. I worked with Brit forces in the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War and they were great. I suspect you guys have the same problem we do... Excellent military, mush headed politicians.
I never worried much about Basra. I figured you guys had it handled (and you did). Frankly, things were fine until al-Sadr decided he owned the city. But I never viewed that as a retreat. Rather it was a tactical move to test the Iraqi leadership in the city. And I make note of the fact that al-Sadr never tried this garbage while your boys were inside the city... he knows what would have happened. But even whilst your boys are posted outside the city he still hides in Iran. Your boys are in a position (and with sufficient force) to spank him and his goons and he knows it.
Cheers!