Monday, October 08, 2007
Gordon Brown to make cuts in troop numbers
(The Guardian) - Gordon Brown will today offer the prospect of deep cuts early next year in the number of British troops in Iraq as well as asylum to some Iraqis, including interpreters, who have helped the army there over the last four years. He is also expected to outline an aid and investment package to boost the economy and quality of life of those who live in a region which has the potential of being one of the richest in the Middle East.
The prime minister said in his BBC interview yesterday that his statement on Iraq to MPs was "not simply about what's happening by Christmas" - a reference to his hotly disputed announcement in Baghdad last week that the number of British troops in southern Iraq would be cut by 1,000 by then. His Commons statement, he said, would be "far more comprehensive". It would cover "security, political reconciliation, economic reconstruction". He added: "And there are other aspects of what we can do to improve the security of our military forces and those who help us on the ground."
The prime minister is expected to say that Britain will hand over responsibility for security throughout Basra province to Iraqi forces within the next two months. In that time, the total number of British troops will fall to 4,500. Though this is 1,000 less than the existing official full complement, a 500 cut in that figure had already been announced and 250 of those had already flown home. The number is likely to be reduced by at least a further 1,500 next May, leaving a force of 3,000. But Mr Brown is expected to hold out the option of basing most of those in Kuwait, leaving a much smaller garrison at Basra airport, Britain's last remaining base in Iraq.
British troops have already ended their combat role in southern Iraq. In future, they will take on what is called an "overwatch" role - helping Iraqi security forces in the event of a crisis. They will also continue to train Iraqi forces, carry out patrols along the border with Iran in an attempt to hinder weapons smuggling, and help protect convoys delivering supplies from Kuwait to US forces in northern and central Iraq.
The number of attacks on British forces has fallen dramatically since the army handed over to Iraqi forces the Basra Palace, the last British base in the city, last month. British military commanders have recently been holding talks with Shia militia, including the radical cleric Moqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army, and released militia members suspected of being involved in attacks on British troops, in what they call a new reconciliation process.
British commanders appear to have squared the US, who, despite allegations of indisciplined, trigger-happy employees of the Blackwater private security company, is expected to hire more private contractors to protect supply convoys. However, British defence officials remain concerned about the prospect of US forces having to "fill in" for absent British soldiers in the event of renewed heavy fighting in the area. That is one risk British military chiefs want to avoid.
The prime minister said in his BBC interview yesterday that his statement on Iraq to MPs was "not simply about what's happening by Christmas" - a reference to his hotly disputed announcement in Baghdad last week that the number of British troops in southern Iraq would be cut by 1,000 by then. His Commons statement, he said, would be "far more comprehensive". It would cover "security, political reconciliation, economic reconstruction". He added: "And there are other aspects of what we can do to improve the security of our military forces and those who help us on the ground."
The prime minister is expected to say that Britain will hand over responsibility for security throughout Basra province to Iraqi forces within the next two months. In that time, the total number of British troops will fall to 4,500. Though this is 1,000 less than the existing official full complement, a 500 cut in that figure had already been announced and 250 of those had already flown home. The number is likely to be reduced by at least a further 1,500 next May, leaving a force of 3,000. But Mr Brown is expected to hold out the option of basing most of those in Kuwait, leaving a much smaller garrison at Basra airport, Britain's last remaining base in Iraq.
British troops have already ended their combat role in southern Iraq. In future, they will take on what is called an "overwatch" role - helping Iraqi security forces in the event of a crisis. They will also continue to train Iraqi forces, carry out patrols along the border with Iran in an attempt to hinder weapons smuggling, and help protect convoys delivering supplies from Kuwait to US forces in northern and central Iraq.
The number of attacks on British forces has fallen dramatically since the army handed over to Iraqi forces the Basra Palace, the last British base in the city, last month. British military commanders have recently been holding talks with Shia militia, including the radical cleric Moqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army, and released militia members suspected of being involved in attacks on British troops, in what they call a new reconciliation process.
British commanders appear to have squared the US, who, despite allegations of indisciplined, trigger-happy employees of the Blackwater private security company, is expected to hire more private contractors to protect supply convoys. However, British defence officials remain concerned about the prospect of US forces having to "fill in" for absent British soldiers in the event of renewed heavy fighting in the area. That is one risk British military chiefs want to avoid.
Labels: asylum, Basra, British troops, Gordon Brown, Iraqi interpreters
Monday, September 03, 2007
British troops withdraw from Basra
Security
(AP) - Iraqi soldiers hoisted the nation's flag over the Basra palace compound Monday after British troops withdrew from their last garrison in the city, a move that will hand control to an Iraqi force riddled with Shiite militiamen. A British statement said the operation began at 10 p.m. Sunday "with all British troops arriving at the airport by midday" Monday.
"There were no clashes or attacks on British forces during the operation. The formal handing-over of the Palaces will happen in the near future," British spokesman Maj. Matthew Bird said. The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British force from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British force left about 4:30 a.m.
British vehicles rumbled out of the gates of the sprawling compound after dark Sunday headed for the Basra international airport, about 12 miles away. It is Britain's last remaining base in southern Iraq.
U.S. officials have raised concerns about the prospect of British troops leaving the city, which has seen rival armed militia groups, some linked to Iran, battling for control. The city controls a key land supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad and farther north, and is also near important oil fields. In London, Prime Minister Gordon Brown disputed claims that the redeployment marks a British "defeat" and said the move to the airport had been planned and organized.
The Basra palace had come under near daily rocket and mortar fire from Shiite militias until the British released about 30 gunmen a few months ago and spread the word that they would soon leave. Over the past years, Britain's ability to control events in Basra waned as the militias rose in power. People on the streets of Basra cheered the departure of the British.
Following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule, Britain controlled security across southern Iraq, but has since handed over most of the territory to Iraqi forces. Britain's Ministry of Defense said it hoped to hand security responsibility for Basra, the last remaining province, over to Iraqi forces sometime this autumn.
Brown has consistently refused to set a timetable for the overall withdrawal of British troops from the country, but the long anticipated pullout from the downtown palace will give the British government the option to pull out more than 500 soldiers immediately.
Ex-leader Tony Blair's decision to cut troops numbers in Iraq from 7,000 to 5,500 in February included an option of pulling out the soldiers based in the Basra palace once it was handed back to the Iraqis. Britain's Defense Ministry said in a statement that U.S. officials had been consulted over the plan, and offered assurances that there was still a large enough British presence in the area to provide security. "The decision is an Iraqi-led initiative and is part of a coalition-endorsed process," the ministry said.
British forces will operate from Basra Air Station, but "retain security responsibility for Basra until we hand over to provincial Iraqi control, which we anticipate in the autumn," the statement said.
"There were no clashes or attacks on British forces during the operation. The formal handing-over of the Palaces will happen in the near future," British spokesman Maj. Matthew Bird said. The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British force from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British force left about 4:30 a.m.
British vehicles rumbled out of the gates of the sprawling compound after dark Sunday headed for the Basra international airport, about 12 miles away. It is Britain's last remaining base in southern Iraq.
U.S. officials have raised concerns about the prospect of British troops leaving the city, which has seen rival armed militia groups, some linked to Iran, battling for control. The city controls a key land supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad and farther north, and is also near important oil fields. In London, Prime Minister Gordon Brown disputed claims that the redeployment marks a British "defeat" and said the move to the airport had been planned and organized.
The Basra palace had come under near daily rocket and mortar fire from Shiite militias until the British released about 30 gunmen a few months ago and spread the word that they would soon leave. Over the past years, Britain's ability to control events in Basra waned as the militias rose in power. People on the streets of Basra cheered the departure of the British.
Following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule, Britain controlled security across southern Iraq, but has since handed over most of the territory to Iraqi forces. Britain's Ministry of Defense said it hoped to hand security responsibility for Basra, the last remaining province, over to Iraqi forces sometime this autumn.
Brown has consistently refused to set a timetable for the overall withdrawal of British troops from the country, but the long anticipated pullout from the downtown palace will give the British government the option to pull out more than 500 soldiers immediately.
Ex-leader Tony Blair's decision to cut troops numbers in Iraq from 7,000 to 5,500 in February included an option of pulling out the soldiers based in the Basra palace once it was handed back to the Iraqis. Britain's Defense Ministry said in a statement that U.S. officials had been consulted over the plan, and offered assurances that there was still a large enough British presence in the area to provide security. "The decision is an Iraqi-led initiative and is part of a coalition-endorsed process," the ministry said.
British forces will operate from Basra Air Station, but "retain security responsibility for Basra until we hand over to provincial Iraqi control, which we anticipate in the autumn," the statement said.
Labels: Basra, Basra Air Station, British troop withdrawal, Gordon Brown, Iran, Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, Maj. Matthew Bird, militias
Monday, June 11, 2007
Brown meets leaders in Iraq
Politics
(Al Jazeera) - Britain's next prime minister is meeting Iraqi leaders in a surprise visit following promises to study his country's participation in the conflict. The British embassy said Brown, who is presently the finance minister, arrived in Iraq on Monday for a one-day fact-finding mission and was in talks with Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister.
The visit, Brown's second since November, was not announced in advance and was carried out under tight security. Brown will succeed Tony Blair as prime minister later this month, but has not outlined specific policies on Iraq. He stands by the decision to join the US-led invasion of March 2003.
Brown was also expected to meet Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, Bayan Jabr, finance minister, and Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, Britain's senior military officer in the region, a spokesman said. In the UK, the opposition Conservative party has called on the British parliament to back a formal inquiry into Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq.
Liam Fox, the Conservative party's defence spokesman in parliament, said: "We want the principle established that there must be an inquiry. It's about making sure we don't make the same mistakes again." Blair has ruled out an inquiry while British troops are deployed in Iraq.
The government was expected to defeat the motion, but interest would focus on how many members of Blair's Labour party will back the proposal. At the time the Conservative party supported Blair's decision to back the US-led invasion.
The visit, Brown's second since November, was not announced in advance and was carried out under tight security. Brown will succeed Tony Blair as prime minister later this month, but has not outlined specific policies on Iraq. He stands by the decision to join the US-led invasion of March 2003.
Brown was also expected to meet Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, Bayan Jabr, finance minister, and Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, Britain's senior military officer in the region, a spokesman said. In the UK, the opposition Conservative party has called on the British parliament to back a formal inquiry into Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq.
Liam Fox, the Conservative party's defence spokesman in parliament, said: "We want the principle established that there must be an inquiry. It's about making sure we don't make the same mistakes again." Blair has ruled out an inquiry while British troops are deployed in Iraq.
The government was expected to defeat the motion, but interest would focus on how many members of Blair's Labour party will back the proposal. At the time the Conservative party supported Blair's decision to back the US-led invasion.
Labels: Gordon Brown, Jalal Talabani, Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, Nouri Al-Maliki
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Iraqi foreign minister asks Brown not to withdraw British troops
Security
(AFP) - Prime Minister-designate Gordon Brown should not withdraw British troops from Iraq, the war-torn country's foreign minister said Thursday as he cautioned that it is important not to show insurgents any sign of weakness. "We hope that the new prime minister, Mr Brown, is also a friend of Iraq and of the Iraqi people, and will not take any spectacular decisions," Hoshyar Zebari told AFP.
Brown is set to replace Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the architects of the Iraq war, on June 27 after a decade as finance minister under him. "I believe there is the impression that he is seeking to differentiate himself from Mr Blair, and that one of the points is Iraq," Zebari said. "We must really reinforce the international coalition. The stakes are too important for all of us, which is why we hope that right now our friends in Great Britain and in the British government will remain at our sides."
The Blair government has already pledged to bring home about 1,600 troops from Iraq this year, reducing the country's force there to about 5,500. The Times newspaper published an interview with Zebari in which he expressed identical views. He also said although the situation was bad in Basra, where most British troops are based, it is not as bad as Baghdad.
"It needs better governance... The police force there is weak, the military is weak, the city council is not united," Zebari told The Times. He said the key question that had to be answered before British troops could be withdrawn was about the readiness of the Iraqi security forces to take their place. "Are we there or not? That is the question. By the time the British will make their decision whether to reduce, to draw down, that formula has to be correct."
Zebari also addressed the matter of whether Iraqi MPs want foreign troops in the country, noting that his government would be arguing in parliament that they are still needed. He noted that support for troop deployments in Iraq from voters in Britain and the United States is waning, telling the paper: "If you take all this, of course it is very significant."
Brown is set to replace Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the architects of the Iraq war, on June 27 after a decade as finance minister under him. "I believe there is the impression that he is seeking to differentiate himself from Mr Blair, and that one of the points is Iraq," Zebari said. "We must really reinforce the international coalition. The stakes are too important for all of us, which is why we hope that right now our friends in Great Britain and in the British government will remain at our sides."
The Blair government has already pledged to bring home about 1,600 troops from Iraq this year, reducing the country's force there to about 5,500. The Times newspaper published an interview with Zebari in which he expressed identical views. He also said although the situation was bad in Basra, where most British troops are based, it is not as bad as Baghdad.
"It needs better governance... The police force there is weak, the military is weak, the city council is not united," Zebari told The Times. He said the key question that had to be answered before British troops could be withdrawn was about the readiness of the Iraqi security forces to take their place. "Are we there or not? That is the question. By the time the British will make their decision whether to reduce, to draw down, that formula has to be correct."
Zebari also addressed the matter of whether Iraqi MPs want foreign troops in the country, noting that his government would be arguing in parliament that they are still needed. He noted that support for troop deployments in Iraq from voters in Britain and the United States is waning, telling the paper: "If you take all this, of course it is very significant."
Labels: Basra, British military, Gordon Brown, Hoshyar Zibari, Iraq
Monday, June 04, 2007
British officers produce plans to expedite troop withdrawal from Iraq
Security
(The Guardian) - Senior British officers in Iraq have produced plans to speed up the withdrawal of troops, allowing the vast majority of the UK's 5,500 troops to return home within 12 months or less, it emerged yesterday. But government sources stressed that the proposal was one of several options which the Ministry of Defence is developing to present to Gordon Brown when he takes over as prime minister later this month. He is due to visit Iraq, where commanders will brief him on when the army could pull out.
Major-General Jonathan Shaw, the British commander in the south, is understood to have produced "tactical advice" which acknowledges UK success in training Iraqi security forces but also highlights the risks of remaining in Basra too long. It suggests withdrawing almost all troops by the end of December, leaving only a small number of teams in the south to advise Iraqi military forces.
According to the Sunday Times, this plan has been endorsed by Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, deputy coalition commander and the most senior British officer in Iraq, but has not yet won the approval of the chief of joint operations, Lieutenant-General Nick Houghton.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph quoted a senior military official as saying: "There is an agreed timetable, a glide path, which will see a complete unilateral withdrawal in 12 months." But a government source stressed that the military were exploring possible options, adding: "Withdrawal is all about conditions - we can plan for whatever we would like, but if the conditions on the ground are wrong it isn't going to happen."
Major-General Jonathan Shaw, the British commander in the south, is understood to have produced "tactical advice" which acknowledges UK success in training Iraqi security forces but also highlights the risks of remaining in Basra too long. It suggests withdrawing almost all troops by the end of December, leaving only a small number of teams in the south to advise Iraqi military forces.
According to the Sunday Times, this plan has been endorsed by Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, deputy coalition commander and the most senior British officer in Iraq, but has not yet won the approval of the chief of joint operations, Lieutenant-General Nick Houghton.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph quoted a senior military official as saying: "There is an agreed timetable, a glide path, which will see a complete unilateral withdrawal in 12 months." But a government source stressed that the military were exploring possible options, adding: "Withdrawal is all about conditions - we can plan for whatever we would like, but if the conditions on the ground are wrong it isn't going to happen."
Labels: British troop withdrawal, Gordon Brown, Major-General Jonathan Shaw
