All British soldiers to be out of Iraq in 12 months
By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent
Sunday Telegraph
(Filed: 05/03/2006)
All British and United States troops serving in Iraq will be withdrawn within a year in an effort to bring peace and stability to the country.
The news came as defence chiefs admitted privately that the British troop commitment in Afghanistan may last for up to 10 years.
Iraqi soldiers
Iraq's national defence force will assume responsibility for security
The planned pull-out from Iraq follows the acceptance by London and Washington that the presence of the coalition, mainly composed of British and US troops, is now seen as the main obstacle to peace.
According to a senior defence source directly involved in planning the withdrawal, Britain is the driving force behind the scheme. The early spring of next year has been identified as the optimum time for the start of the complex and dangerous operation.
The source explained that troop numbers were expected to decrease slightly over the next 12 months but that the bulk of British and American forces, who make up 138,000 of the coalition's 153,000 troops, would be withdrawn simultaneously.
The British and American military had hoped to begin removing their forces from Iraq this year but those plans were shelved because of worsening security and the failure of both Sunni and Shia leaders to form a government of national unity.
The source added that the British Army had still not recovered - in terms of training and intervals between operational tours - from the war in Iraq almost three years ago.
In recent months, both the US and British governments have both come under sustained pressure to name a date when the coalition will begin the withdrawal of forces.
President George W Bush's popularity is at an all-time low in opinion polls and the Iraq war has so far cost the American taxpayer £150 billion. US forces have sustained more than 18,000 casualties; 2,297 servicemen have been killed.
The cost to the British Government is estimated at £3 billion and 103 servicemen have died on operations.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that coalition forces, comprising troops from 24 countries, will begin to reduce their presence on the ground markedly over the next few months.
They will withdraw to their bases, where they will in effect become a garrison force to be deployed only in emergency.
British Armed Forces are also expected to hand over control of the notoriously dangerous Maysan province, where two soldiers were killed in a bomb attack last week, and the more peaceful al-Muthanna province, in the next few months.
Eventual responsibility for day-to-day security in Iraq will be taken over by the Iraqi Defence Force, which now numbers more than 232,000 police officers and soldiers.
One of the factors in the debate over withdrawal from Iraq has been the impetus of the looming long-term task in Afghanistan, Operation Herrick, which will see the deployment of a further 3,500 British troops.
The source said: "Our presence [in Iraq] is now part of the problem. That is a situation which is now accepted by both governments. We are viewed as an occupation force even though, at the moment, we are in Iraq at the invitation of the government.
"Every time we go out on patrol we run the risk of drawing fire and taking unnecessary casualties. The security situation will not improve in the short term, whether we are in Iraq or not."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said there was no fixed date for a withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq.
Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait pas. - Blaise Pascal
What a shame they didn't realise all the havoc that would be caused by the invasion. They had most of the world telling them not to do it.
True. Something good may come of it though. For one thing it has burst a few bubbles about the nature of democracy and the Middle East. For another it has, for what it is worth, shown Islamic militants to be what they are - there have been protests in Jordan after all. Every Muslim can see what Islamic radicalism means and they can decide if they are on the side of bombers, beheaders and Shrine destroyers. It may even be the case that something democratic-ish will emerge in Iraq.
Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait pas. - Blaise Pascal
nice plan....they invade cuase a whole bunch of trouble, and they leave, and start wars.....typical bull
"1. Qull huwa Allahu ahad Allahu alssamad Lam yalid walam yoolad Walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad"
Say: He is Allah the One and Only Allah, the Eternal Absolute He begetteth not nor is He begotten And there is none like unto Him.
(112)
Right from the beggining the US/UK were urged not to go. 100's of thousands people protested in UK to stop UK forces going to war in Iraq but they went because they were detremined to find WMD's. They didnt find WMD's, 1000's innocent lives were lost and Iraq is in worse state thenit was to begin with.
Heigu - What do you expect "Islamic militants" to do?? sit back and have a cup of tea while there country, family gets blown to its? no countries people will just sit back and allow that to happen!
Right from the beggining the US/UK were urged not to go. 100's of thousands people protested in UK to stop UK forces going to war in Iraq but they went because they were detremined to find WMD's. They didnt find WMD's, 1000's innocent lives were lost and Iraq is in worse state thenit was to begin with.
Heigu - What do you expect "Islamic militants" to do?? sit back and have a cup of tea while there country, family gets blown to its? no countries people will just sit back and allow that to happen!
Exactly!! It's silly to watch the news and hear about those "Islamic Militants". Pssshh, I know I wouldn't sit back and relax if my country was invaded.
The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart--Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Right from the beggining the US/UK were urged not to go. 100's of thousands people protested in UK to stop UK forces going to war in Iraq but they went because they were detremined to find WMD's. They didnt find WMD's, 1000's innocent lives were lost and Iraq is in worse state thenit was to begin with.
Well in many ways Iraq is better off that it was - sanctions have gone for one thing. That is an improvement. Think of how many babies were dying due to the UN sanctions. Iraq cna only get better from here.
Heigu - What do you expect "Islamic militants" to do?? sit back and have a cup of tea while there country, family gets blown to its? no countries people will just sit back and allow that to happen!
The Afghans are. People are getting blown to bits because of the insurgents, not the other way around. I do not know what I expected the insurgents to do - nothing they have done that is for sure. I expected more violence from the Shia - as the Americans would have denied them an Islamic state - and less from the Sunnis - as the Americans would be preferable to the Shia. As it turns out the Sunni insurgents have bombed the Americans out and the Iranians in. Not clever I would have thought.
Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait pas. - Blaise Pascal
Well in many ways Iraq is better off that it was - sanctions have gone for one thing. That is an improvement. Think of how many babies were dying due to the UN sanctions. Iraq cna only get better from here.
You sound like a have been employed by the white house. Iraq is not better off and it is pretty plain to see.
format_quote Originally Posted by HeiGou
The Afghans are. People are getting blown to bits because of the insurgents, not the other way around. I do not know what I expected the insurgents to do - nothing they have done that is for sure. I expected more violence from the Shia - as the Americans would have denied them an Islamic state - and less from the Sunnis - as the Americans would be preferable to the Shia. As it turns out the Sunni insurgents have bombed the Americans out and the Iranians in. Not clever I would have thought.
Afghans are?? is that why a further 3,000 have been sent to Afghanistan?
Taliban violence in the south has spiked dramatically over recent months as the deployment nears of more than 6,000 Nato troops from Britain, the Netherlands and Canada.
You sound like a have been employed by the white house. Iraq is not better off and it is pretty plain to see.
Well if they want to offer me a job to do what I do anyway, by all means. I could do with the money.
Exactly how is it plain to see? The media likes disaster and so gives a lot of that. But it does not give good news stories by and large. Can we all agree sanctions are gone? Can we all agree those sanctions led to the deaths of many Iraqis mostly babies? How many more would have died if Sanctions had remained in place?
Afghans are?? is that why a further 3,000 have been sent to Afghanistan?
A rotation I believe. But even so there is a token number of Western soldiers in Afghanistan. If all Afghans sneezed at once they would be blown away.
People are getting blown to bits because Iraq was invaded. You make it sound as if US/UK came equipped for a tea party..
They did not come equipped for what happened - not enough soldiers, no planning, nothing. They did not expect the looting and they did not expect the insurgency. They should have perhaps, but tea party is clearly not far off the mark of what they did expect.
Afghanistan was invaded and no one is, or few people are, being blown to bits there.
Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait pas. - Blaise Pascal
We have heard this nonsense before! Isn't it ironic how they the civil tension between the sunnis/sh'ites, will be used as an excuse to justify thier presence!!
We have heard this nonsense before! Isn't it ironic how they the civil tension between the sunnis/sh'ites, will be used as an excuse to justify thier presence!!
yea and pple say civil war isnt in US best interest, its in their best interest indeed to justify their stay in this unpopular war at home and they are creating it
yea and pple say civil war isnt in US best interest, its in their best interest indeed to justify their stay in this unpopular war at home and they are creating it
Exactly how does this justify their stay? Nor is there any sign they are creating this mess - what is your evidence? Sunnis and Shia have been oppressing each other whenever they have had the chance since Ali was alive. What makes you think the US wants anything other than to get their Army out as soon as possible? After all it is pretty much their entire Army tied up in Iraq.
Le coeur a ses raisons, que la raison ne connait pas. - Blaise Pascal
Exactly how does this justify their stay? Nor is there any sign they are creating this mess - what is your evidence? Sunnis and Shia have been oppressing each other whenever they have had the chance since Ali was alive. What makes you think the US wants anything other than to get their Army out as soon as possible? After all it is pretty much their entire Army tied up in Iraq.
ok so u beleive the US gov? that they want out asap?ok but what if by a civil war they can crush the sunni insurgents much faster lets say withing 2 years and then they can establish a puppet gov on their own terms and leave saying we have compeletely defeated our enemies and made iraq democratic
rigth now the image of US in the world is that they are not winning this war and thats not good for the worlds most powerfull militry, they would rather defeat their enemies and then leave, it will be much easier to defeat the resistance with local pple fighting against them such as shia
True. Something good may come of it though. For one thing it has burst a few bubbles about the nature of democracy and the Middle East. For another it has, for what it is worth, shown Islamic militants to be what they are - there have been protests in Jordan after all. Every Muslim can see what Islamic radicalism means and they can decide if they are on the side of bombers, beheaders and Shrine destroyers. It may even be the case that something democratic-ish will emerge in Iraq.
Democracy, pshh, who needs it. If you're talking about Western Democracy, we're all better off without it. Funny how democracy rhymes with hypocrisy....
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