All across Iraq’s second city life is improving, a month after Iraqi troops began a surprise crackdown on the black-clad gangs who were allowed to flourish under the British military.
Most definitely not the finest hour of our British allies...
oops, here we go again...
“Most definitely not the finest hour of our British allies...”
How so? British and American (who moved down with the Iraqi units they were embedded with) forces mentored the Iraqi forces who took control of the city with minimal loss of life (only 10 Iraqi soldiers thankfully). The operation was so cost-less in terms of Iraqi casualties precisely because the operation had an Iraqi face. When British forces moved to Basra airbase because they said that 90% of the violence is aimed at us, we’re making things worse and this requires an Iraqi face to solve, people here said the British were running away. The British line has proved absolutely correct. Rather than having a situation where, like last Spring, 24 British soldiers at a police station were attacked by over 200 militiamen, now, Iraqi troops can control the city (after initial resistance) quite happily. Rather than militiamen being ‘allowed to flourish’ under the small British contigent’s watch, the presence of foreign troops in a region famous for stident autonomy was a catalyst for militia violence. This required one of two responses: a massive British surge to literally dominate the ground (like that elsewhere in Iraq) or a shift to Iraqi-led operations. The first opinion was simply not a logistical option for the British military (and the UK’s dithering lame-duck Prime Minsiter doesn’t have the decision making skills required! He’s 18 points behind in the polls!)
The UK has announced in the last few days that its 4000 troops will be staying in Iraq for the forseeable future. The UK not only has troops in Basra, but also embedded units with Iraqi troops in Baghdad and Special Forces all over the country. This is a big commitment for an overstretched army like the UKs (whose main foreign focus is on Afghanistan)
Steel Resolve: The above is my opinion and I absolutely respect your right to disagree. I fully respect your opinion and appreciate that, unlike certain other posters, it is generated not through anti-British bias but a genuine informed perspective.
Cheers
UK