The British In Iraq (merged thread)

[SWJED]

20 February AP - Blair to Announce Iraq Withdrawal Plan.

Prime Minister Tony Blair will announce on Wednesday a new timetable for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, with 1,500 to return home in several weeks, the BBC reported.

Blair will also tell the House of Commons during his regular weekly appearance before it that a total of about 3,000 British soldiers will have left southern Iraq by the end of 2007, if the security there is sufficient, the British Broadcasting Corp. said, quoting government officials who weren't further identified...

[SWJED]

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...

[tequila]

Reports a Scottish paper via Iraqslogger.

GORDON Brown will remove all British forces from Iraq before the next election under a plan to rebuild support among disillusioned Labour voters.

Scotland on Sunday can reveal the Prime Minister elect is working on a withdrawal plan that could see troop numbers slashed from 7,000 to as few as 2,000 within 12 months.

If implemented, the strategy would culminate in total withdrawal no later than spring 2010, the date by which Brown must go to the country to seek his own mandate.

Policy under Tony Blair involved keeping a small force in Iraq for many years to come. But it emerged last night that President George Bush has been briefed by White House officials to expect an announcement from Downing Street within Brown's first 100 days in power ...

Perhaps in anticipation, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyr Zebari pleads with Brown not to withdraw troops.

Related: Ghaith Abdul Ahad in the Guardian "Welcome to Tehran" - How Iran took control of Basra. Despite the title, the article details how Basra is up for grabs among a variety of competing Shia groups - Sadr's Mahdi Army, SIIC, Fadhila, and an array of mafia and tribal groups.

[Jedburgh]

UK House of Commons Defence Committee, 3 Dec 07: UK Land Operations in Iraq

For UK Forces serving in Iraq, 2007 has been a very significant year. Responsibility for security across much of South Eastern Iraq has now been transferred to local Iraqi control. Basra, the final province remaining under UK direction, will pass to Iraqi control in December 2007. With transition has come a change in the role of UK Forces, from combat operations to overwatch.

The security situation in Iraq continues to cause concern. While the surge of additional US Forces under the command of General David Petraeus appears to have been successful in countering the worst of the sectarian violence, the precarious security situation continues to impede progress towards political reconciliation. In South Eastern Iraq, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of attacks against UK and Coalition Forces since the decision was taken to withdraw from Basra Palace, but there has been no corresponding reduction in the number of attacks against the civilian population of Basra.

The development of capable and effective Iraqi Security Forces is fundamental to the longterm security of Iraq and to the drawdown and eventual withdrawal of UK Forces. Significant progress has been achieved over the past year in training, mentoring and equipping the Iraqi Army. The 10th Division, which following transition to Iraqi control in Basra will be responsible for security across South Eastern Iraq, is now reported to be close to achieving full operational readiness. However, similar progress has not been achieved with the Iraqi Police. There remain murderous, corrupt and militia-infiltrated elements within the Police which must be rooted out as a matter of priority. The UK continues to play an important role in training and mentoring the Iraqi Army and Police. It is unclear how its trainers will be supported once UK force levels are reduced further in the Spring.....

Complete 102 page report at the link.