20 February Reuters - Iraqis Take Basra Command as U.K. Plans Troop Cuts.

Britain put Iraqis in command of the main Iraqi army unit in Basra on Tuesday, a move billed as paving the way for Washington's main ally to formally announce major cutbacks in troops.

"The Iraqi Army division based in Basra has transferred from under coalition command, and is now -- for the first time -- taking its orders direct from an Iraqi headquarters in Baghdad," the British military said in a statement.

"The transfer is a significant step toward Iraqi forces taking responsibility for security in the city."

Britain has not yet formally announced cutbacks to its force in Iraq, but Defense Secretary Des Browne has said he hopes to bring thousands of troops home by the end of this year.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Sunday that Britain would draw down its force in Iraq once Iraqis were responsible for security in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city.

He has said he will update parliament about the British mission in Iraq at the close of a four-month security operation in Basra -- Operation Sinbad -- which ended last week...