Thursday, August 02, 2007
Danes withdraw, hand over to British Army
Military
(Voices of Iraq) - Danish forces handed over their remaining missions to the British army and started withdrawing the rest of their troops from Basra, the media spokesman for the Multi-National Forces in Southern Iraq said on Wednesday.
"Danish ground forces handed their missions to the British army so as to start pulling out the rest of their troops from Basra," Major Matthew Bird told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). "Four Danish helicopters arrived at the Basra international airport, northwest of Basra, while 50 Danish soldiers left to back the choppers," he added.
Denmark had 470 soldiers working among the Multi-National troops in Iraq under British command. 250 left the country last week, before the scheduled time for withdrawal on August 10, 2007. The European country was considered one of the U.S.'s allies in its invasion in March 2003.
"Danish ground forces handed their missions to the British army so as to start pulling out the rest of their troops from Basra," Major Matthew Bird told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). "Four Danish helicopters arrived at the Basra international airport, northwest of Basra, while 50 Danish soldiers left to back the choppers," he added.
Denmark had 470 soldiers working among the Multi-National troops in Iraq under British command. 250 left the country last week, before the scheduled time for withdrawal on August 10, 2007. The European country was considered one of the U.S.'s allies in its invasion in March 2003.
Labels: Basra, British army, Danish troops, Major Matthew Bird, troop withdrawal
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Former U.K. ambassador to Washington calls for Iraq troop withdrawal
Security
(The Guardian) - The British and American military presence in Iraq is worsening security across the region and should be withdrawn quickly, the UK's former ambassador to Washington warned yesterday. Sir Christopher Meyer acknowledged that leaving Iraq would be "painful", but said the mission was not worth the death of one more serviceman. "I personally believe that the presence of American and British and coalition forces is making things worse, not only inside Iraq but the wider region around Iraq. The arguments against staying for any greater length of time themselves strengthen with every day that passes," Sir Christopher said.
He added: "I think the Iraqis are in fact sorting themselves out - often bloodily - independent of what we're doing."
The former diplomat, posted in Washington in the run-up to the 2003 invasion, was giving evidence to the Iraq Commission in London. The cross-party group - modelled on America's Iraq Study Group - was set up by the Foreign Policy Centre thinktank and Channel 4 to examine possible options for Britain's future role.
British commanders in Iraq have drawn up a plan for the withdrawal of almost all UK troops within 12 months, as one of several options to be presented to Gordon Brown when he takes over as prime minister. But Sir Christopher said Mr Brown was unlikely to announce a unilateral troop withdrawal that was not coordinated with the United States.
He acknowledged that foreign policy decisions were always "fraught with risk". But asked about criticisms of withdrawal, he replied: "It always seemed to me this was one of the key moral arguments in Iraq, that however bad things were ... the overriding requirement for us was to be able to say to parents and relatives in Britain, your sons and daughters did not die in vain. I think we have now crossed the line - we now have to say the mission is no longer worth another life of a British or American serviceman."
Sir Christopher's controversial book, DC Confidential, argued that the coalition failed to plan for securing and rebuilding Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion. Sir Richard Dannatt, head of the army, said last year that the British should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
Oliver Burch, of Christian Aid, told the commission that reconstruction efforts by the military had made the work of aid agencies harder in some ways. It meant military operations were run alongside humanitarian work. "For that reason those who do not like the coalition forces do not like NGOs either," he said. The commission, chaired by Lord King, Lord Ashdown, and Lady Jay will report in mid-July after hearing evidence from a range of military and policy experts.
He added: "I think the Iraqis are in fact sorting themselves out - often bloodily - independent of what we're doing."
The former diplomat, posted in Washington in the run-up to the 2003 invasion, was giving evidence to the Iraq Commission in London. The cross-party group - modelled on America's Iraq Study Group - was set up by the Foreign Policy Centre thinktank and Channel 4 to examine possible options for Britain's future role.
British commanders in Iraq have drawn up a plan for the withdrawal of almost all UK troops within 12 months, as one of several options to be presented to Gordon Brown when he takes over as prime minister. But Sir Christopher said Mr Brown was unlikely to announce a unilateral troop withdrawal that was not coordinated with the United States.
He acknowledged that foreign policy decisions were always "fraught with risk". But asked about criticisms of withdrawal, he replied: "It always seemed to me this was one of the key moral arguments in Iraq, that however bad things were ... the overriding requirement for us was to be able to say to parents and relatives in Britain, your sons and daughters did not die in vain. I think we have now crossed the line - we now have to say the mission is no longer worth another life of a British or American serviceman."
Sir Christopher's controversial book, DC Confidential, argued that the coalition failed to plan for securing and rebuilding Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion. Sir Richard Dannatt, head of the army, said last year that the British should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems".
Oliver Burch, of Christian Aid, told the commission that reconstruction efforts by the military had made the work of aid agencies harder in some ways. It meant military operations were run alongside humanitarian work. "For that reason those who do not like the coalition forces do not like NGOs either," he said. The commission, chaired by Lord King, Lord Ashdown, and Lady Jay will report in mid-July after hearing evidence from a range of military and policy experts.
Labels: Sir Christopher Meyer, troop withdrawal, U.K., U.S.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Talabani appeals for foreign troops to stay longer
Security
(AHN) - While members of the U.S. Congress as well as Iraq's Parliament are considering timetables for U.S. troops to withdraw, Iraq's president is asking that troops stay at least one more year - possibly two. In an address to Britain's Cambridge University Cambridge Union Society on Friday Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said his country needed British and U.S. troops to stay at least that long to help stabilize Iraq.
His remarks came in response to a question from the audience as to how long he thought the troops would need to stay. He also mentioned hope that the United States Congress would reconsider a recent vote to limit funding for Iraq. "We are concerned and we hope that Congress will review this decision and help the American army to stay until the Iraqi army will be ready," he said, according to Britain's the Telegraph.
Although 144 members of Iraq's 275-seat parliament have signed a draft bill to set a timetable for U.S. troops leaving Iraq, in a partisan split others are in Washington, D.C. lobbying Congress not to withdraw troops. On his visit to Britain, Talabani also expressed his condolences to the families of British soldiers who have died in Iraq. He also called Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair a "hero" saying he hoped that Gordon Brown would continue the work Blair started.
His remarks came in response to a question from the audience as to how long he thought the troops would need to stay. He also mentioned hope that the United States Congress would reconsider a recent vote to limit funding for Iraq. "We are concerned and we hope that Congress will review this decision and help the American army to stay until the Iraqi army will be ready," he said, according to Britain's the Telegraph.
Although 144 members of Iraq's 275-seat parliament have signed a draft bill to set a timetable for U.S. troops leaving Iraq, in a partisan split others are in Washington, D.C. lobbying Congress not to withdraw troops. On his visit to Britain, Talabani also expressed his condolences to the families of British soldiers who have died in Iraq. He also called Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair a "hero" saying he hoped that Gordon Brown would continue the work Blair started.
Labels: Jalal Talabani, troop withdrawal
SCIRI leader calls for 'security agreement'
Politics
(AP) - The leader of Iraq's largest Shiite political party on Saturday called for a "security agreement" to be negotiated between Iraq and U.S.-led forces to outline the authorities of each side in a further indication of growing frustration over America's role in Iraq. Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim did not give more details of the proposed pact. In the past he has repeatedly complained that the U.S. military's lead in the fight against Sunni insurgents hampered the work of Iraq's Shiite-dominated security forces, which he contended were better qualified to fight the insurgents given their knowledge of the terrain and language.
"We are working toward reaching a security agreement to define the authority of each side," al-Hakim told a news conference after a two-day meeting of his party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
Al-Hakim's comments coincided with an ongoing campaign by lawmakers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to get parliament to adopt legislation demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of the U.S.-led troops in Iraq and a freeze on the number of foreign forces already in the country. Officials said this week the proposed legislation has been signed by 144 members of the 275-member house, but it is not likely to retain the support of all of them if it is put to a vote.
Addressing the same news conference, senior al-Hakim aide Hummam Hamoudi sought to play down the significance of a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces, saying it was more important to reach a timetable for the training and equipping of Iraqi troops.
Al-Hakim said his party remained committed to the creation of a semiautonomous region in Iraq's mainly Shiite south, but stressed that such a move hinged on popular support. A federal Iraq is a key plank of the party's ideology, but politicians from the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority insist that federalism would eventually lead to the breakup of the country. Federalism was enshrined in a new constitution adopted in 2005. "We are working for the creation of a region in the center and south ... under the mechanisms provided by in the constitution and with the approval of the people," he said.
"We are working toward reaching a security agreement to define the authority of each side," al-Hakim told a news conference after a two-day meeting of his party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
Al-Hakim's comments coincided with an ongoing campaign by lawmakers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to get parliament to adopt legislation demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of the U.S.-led troops in Iraq and a freeze on the number of foreign forces already in the country. Officials said this week the proposed legislation has been signed by 144 members of the 275-member house, but it is not likely to retain the support of all of them if it is put to a vote.
Addressing the same news conference, senior al-Hakim aide Hummam Hamoudi sought to play down the significance of a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces, saying it was more important to reach a timetable for the training and equipping of Iraqi troops.
Al-Hakim said his party remained committed to the creation of a semiautonomous region in Iraq's mainly Shiite south, but stressed that such a move hinged on popular support. A federal Iraq is a key plank of the party's ideology, but politicians from the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority insist that federalism would eventually lead to the breakup of the country. Federalism was enshrined in a new constitution adopted in 2005. "We are working for the creation of a region in the center and south ... under the mechanisms provided by in the constitution and with the approval of the people," he said.
Labels: Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, federalism, Hummam Hamoudi, SCIRI, troop withdrawal
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Iraqi lawmakers endorse bill calling for foreign troop withdrawl
Politics
(AP) - A majority of Iraqi lawmakers have endorsed a bill calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops and demanding a freeze on the number of foreign troops already in the country, lawmakers said Thursday. The legislation was being debated even as U.S. lawmakers were locked in a dispute with the White House over their call to start reducing the size of the U.S. force here in the coming months.
The Iraqi bill, drafted by a parliamentary bloc loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, was signed by 144 members of the 275-member house, according to Nassar al-Rubaie, the leader of the Sadrist bloc. The Sadrist bloc, which sees the U.S.-led forces as an occupying army, has pushed similar bills before, but this was the first time it had garnered the support of a majority of lawmakers.
The bill would require the Iraqi government to seek approval from parliament before it requests an extension of the U.N. mandate for foreign forces to be in Iraq, al-Rubaie said. It also calls for a timetable for the troop withdrawal and a freeze on the size of the foreign forces. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously in November to extend the U.S.-led forces' mandate until the end of 2007. The resolution, however, said the council "will terminate this mandate earlier if requested by the government of Iraq."
Al-Rubaie said he personally handed the Iraqi bill to speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani on Wednesday. Deputy Speaker Khaled al-Attiyah told The Associated Press the draft legislation had not been officially submitted to the speaker, but was currently being reviewed by the house's legal department, apparently the final step before it can be submitted. Al-Rubaie said al-Mashhadani had a week to schedule a debate on the bill before he would use the majority that backs it to force a debate.
Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which launched two uprisings against U.S. troops in 2004, has been blamed in much of the recent sectarian violence against Sunnis and has been one of the main targets of a U.S.-Iraqi security crackdown. Last month, the cleric ordered his six Cabinet ministers to leave the government after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refused to put a timetable for foreign troops withdrawal.
The Iraqi bill, drafted by a parliamentary bloc loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, was signed by 144 members of the 275-member house, according to Nassar al-Rubaie, the leader of the Sadrist bloc. The Sadrist bloc, which sees the U.S.-led forces as an occupying army, has pushed similar bills before, but this was the first time it had garnered the support of a majority of lawmakers.
The bill would require the Iraqi government to seek approval from parliament before it requests an extension of the U.N. mandate for foreign forces to be in Iraq, al-Rubaie said. It also calls for a timetable for the troop withdrawal and a freeze on the size of the foreign forces. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously in November to extend the U.S.-led forces' mandate until the end of 2007. The resolution, however, said the council "will terminate this mandate earlier if requested by the government of Iraq."
Al-Rubaie said he personally handed the Iraqi bill to speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani on Wednesday. Deputy Speaker Khaled al-Attiyah told The Associated Press the draft legislation had not been officially submitted to the speaker, but was currently being reviewed by the house's legal department, apparently the final step before it can be submitted. Al-Rubaie said al-Mashhadani had a week to schedule a debate on the bill before he would use the majority that backs it to force a debate.
Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which launched two uprisings against U.S. troops in 2004, has been blamed in much of the recent sectarian violence against Sunnis and has been one of the main targets of a U.S.-Iraqi security crackdown. Last month, the cleric ordered his six Cabinet ministers to leave the government after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refused to put a timetable for foreign troops withdrawal.
Labels: Khaled al-Attiyah, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Nassar al-Rubaie, troop withdrawal, UNSC
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Iraqi politicians divided on timed U.S. troop withdrawal
Politics
(AFP) - Moves in the US Congress to demand a timetable for military withdrawal from Iraq brought mixed reviews from Iraqi members of parliament, some of whom doubted the government’s ability to meet US demands for faster political reconciliation. “The United States is thus admitting it was defeated in Iraq and must withdraw. This should be attributed to the effort and patience of Iraqis,” said Saleh Hassan Issa al-Igaili, an MP loyal to Shiite radical leader Moqtada Al Sadr.
Mahmud Othman, a Kurdish MP, was philosophical about the decision by the Democrats who control Congress: “They have to abide by public opinion. They are preparing the ground for the next election and that is normal in a democracy.” US Democrats have argued that the proposed withdrawal timetable would prod Iraq’s leaders towards political reconciliation, specifically the passage of an equitable oil law and the return of former Baathists to public life.
The House of Representatives approved the bill on Wednesday and the Senate was expected to follow suit in a vote later Thursday. But President George W. Bush has vowed to veto the draft legislation, which would order a pullout of US forces from Iraq to begin from as early as October, and in Baghdad many Iraqi politicians remained sceptical.
“After four years, these things have become much more difficult and our problems are much more complicated,” Othman said. “So I don’t expect these things to be done as fast as the Americans want.” Others saw the legislative wrangling in the United States as a purely domestic matter. “It’s for local consumption” said Omar Abdul-Sattar Mahmud, a Sunni MP from the Iraqi Islamic Party. “However they agree or disagree is their business, not that of the Iraqis,” he said. “What we are concerned with is that there should be real national reconciliation to break the sectarianism.”
Mahmud Othman, a Kurdish MP, was philosophical about the decision by the Democrats who control Congress: “They have to abide by public opinion. They are preparing the ground for the next election and that is normal in a democracy.” US Democrats have argued that the proposed withdrawal timetable would prod Iraq’s leaders towards political reconciliation, specifically the passage of an equitable oil law and the return of former Baathists to public life.
The House of Representatives approved the bill on Wednesday and the Senate was expected to follow suit in a vote later Thursday. But President George W. Bush has vowed to veto the draft legislation, which would order a pullout of US forces from Iraq to begin from as early as October, and in Baghdad many Iraqi politicians remained sceptical.
“After four years, these things have become much more difficult and our problems are much more complicated,” Othman said. “So I don’t expect these things to be done as fast as the Americans want.” Others saw the legislative wrangling in the United States as a purely domestic matter. “It’s for local consumption” said Omar Abdul-Sattar Mahmud, a Sunni MP from the Iraqi Islamic Party. “However they agree or disagree is their business, not that of the Iraqis,” he said. “What we are concerned with is that there should be real national reconciliation to break the sectarianism.”
Labels: Iraqi Islamic Party, Iraqi MPs, Mahmud Othman, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Omar Abdul-Sattar Mahmud, Saleh Hassan Issa al-Igaili, troop withdrawal, U.S.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Democrats push through bill for troop withdrawal
U.S., Security
(CBS/AP) - Senate Democrats pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from "the civil war in Iraq," dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief. In a mostly party-line 51-47 vote, the Senate signed off on a bill providing $123 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also orders Mr. Bush to begin withdrawing troops within 120 days of passage while setting a nonbinding goal of ending combat operations by March 31, 2008. The president says he can't accept those terms and has promised a veto, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson. The troops' money hangs in limbo — with each side saying it's the other who's not supporting the boots on the ground.
While Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that setting timelines for withdrawal would hamper U.S. commanders in Iraq, he said Thursday that the debate on Capitol Hill has "been helpful in bringing pressure to bear" on the Iraqi government. He said it has made it clear to the Iraqis that "there is a very real limit to Americans' patience." Gates also said he was disturbed to hear one of his military officers say it will be fall before they have a good idea how well the latest Baghdad campaign is going. He said he hopes that Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, will be able to make that evaluation by summer.
Labels: Iraq, troop withdrawal, U.S.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Al-Hashemi says Iraqi troops not ready for U.S. withdrawal
Security
(Reuters) - Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi warned on Thursday that his country could be thrown into chaos if U.S.-led coalition forces withdrew before his national troops were ready to handle security on their own. "We need the coalition forces to stay in Iraq until our national troops are qualified enough to look after security," Hashemi told a think tank seminar in Tokyo, where he is on a four-day official visit. "They are, at the time being, not."
His comments come as U.S. Democratic leaders predicted that the House of Representatives would pass a war-funding bill that sets a strict timetable for withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq. Under the House Democrats' bill, U.S. combat troops would have to be out of Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008. The White House has warned that President George W. Bush would veto any bill with deadlines for withdrawal, but Democrats are anticipating that and are already eyeing other bills to which they could attach similar language, while building pressure for an end to the war. Hashemi, speaking in English, welcomed a timetable for a withdrawal of U.S. forces but said it needed to be coupled with a clear reform plan of Iraqi national forces.
His comments come as U.S. Democratic leaders predicted that the House of Representatives would pass a war-funding bill that sets a strict timetable for withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq. Under the House Democrats' bill, U.S. combat troops would have to be out of Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008. The White House has warned that President George W. Bush would veto any bill with deadlines for withdrawal, but Democrats are anticipating that and are already eyeing other bills to which they could attach similar language, while building pressure for an end to the war. Hashemi, speaking in English, welcomed a timetable for a withdrawal of U.S. forces but said it needed to be coupled with a clear reform plan of Iraqi national forces.
Labels: Iraqi Army, Tareq al-Hashemi, troop withdrawal
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Romania to start withdrawing troops
Security
(Reuters) Romania is likely to cut its troops in Iraq this year by around 100, from some 600 now, in line with British withdrawal plans, President Traian Basescu said on Wednesday. "We will be probably reducing our presence there by 100 soldiers in accordance with our British allies," Basescu told an annual gathering of senior politicians and army officers.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said last month that Britain would withdraw 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months although some soldiers would stay into 2008 as long as they were wanted. "We have a company in Basra which seems this year to have approached an end of its mission there," Basescu said. Romania, a staunch Washington ally and a NATO member since 2004, withdrew some 130 soldiers from Iraq last year.
The ruling centrist coalition is split over the presence in Iraq, with Basescu saying the force should remain until Bucharest's allies and Baghdad ask for a withdrawal. However, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu's Liberal party has said Romania should bring its forces home. The governing coalition party says it collected one million signatures from Romanians who back its proposal. Polls show about 60 percent of the public want withdrawal.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said last month that Britain would withdraw 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months although some soldiers would stay into 2008 as long as they were wanted. "We have a company in Basra which seems this year to have approached an end of its mission there," Basescu said. Romania, a staunch Washington ally and a NATO member since 2004, withdrew some 130 soldiers from Iraq last year.
The ruling centrist coalition is split over the presence in Iraq, with Basescu saying the force should remain until Bucharest's allies and Baghdad ask for a withdrawal. However, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu's Liberal party has said Romania should bring its forces home. The governing coalition party says it collected one million signatures from Romanians who back its proposal. Polls show about 60 percent of the public want withdrawal.
Labels: Basra, President Traian Basescu, Romania, troop withdrawal
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Talabani warns Iraq will be overun by militias if U.S. pulls out
Security, Politics
(DPA) Iraqi President Jalal Talabani warned in remarks published Tuesday that if US troops pulled out prematurely from Iraq, the country 'will be overrun' by Kurdish and Shiite militias. 'Frankly speaking, we believe that if the US army withdraws, there will be a Kurdish and Shiite military domination of the country,' Talabani said in an interview with the daily newspaper al-Rai.
'Hundreds of thousands of trained Kurds and Shiites are ready and they can overrun all of Iraq. We in the Kurdistan province can dominate the city of Musel and all Arab areas there in a few hours,' added Talabani, who is recovering at King Hussein Medical Centre where he was transferred two weeks ago after a sudden illness.
The Iraqi president, who himself leads a Kurdish party backed with a militia, said that a US pullout from Iraq at this juncture 'will not be in the interest of the country. A real Iraqi force involving all components of the Iraqi people should be ready before a US withdrawal,' he added. Talabani pointed out that he attached big importance to the conference that was held earlier this month in Baghdad with the participation of Iran and Syria.
'US President George W Bush has taken a risk when he agreed that Americans and Iranians meet, because the United States so far absolutely rejected any encounter with the Iranians before they stop the enrichment (of uranium),' he said. 'Iraq will benefit more than any other country from the US-Iranian rapprochement, because if the Americans and the Iranians agree to achieve security and stability in Iraq, I am confident there will be some results on the ground within one month or two months,' he added. 'This is because the Iranians have information and capabilities to deal with terrorists,' he said.
'Hundreds of thousands of trained Kurds and Shiites are ready and they can overrun all of Iraq. We in the Kurdistan province can dominate the city of Musel and all Arab areas there in a few hours,' added Talabani, who is recovering at King Hussein Medical Centre where he was transferred two weeks ago after a sudden illness.
The Iraqi president, who himself leads a Kurdish party backed with a militia, said that a US pullout from Iraq at this juncture 'will not be in the interest of the country. A real Iraqi force involving all components of the Iraqi people should be ready before a US withdrawal,' he added. Talabani pointed out that he attached big importance to the conference that was held earlier this month in Baghdad with the participation of Iran and Syria.
'US President George W Bush has taken a risk when he agreed that Americans and Iranians meet, because the United States so far absolutely rejected any encounter with the Iranians before they stop the enrichment (of uranium),' he said. 'Iraq will benefit more than any other country from the US-Iranian rapprochement, because if the Americans and the Iranians agree to achieve security and stability in Iraq, I am confident there will be some results on the ground within one month or two months,' he added. 'This is because the Iranians have information and capabilities to deal with terrorists,' he said.
Labels: Jalal Talabani, militias, troop withdrawal, U.S.
Monday, March 12, 2007
U.S. to withdraw troops if surge fails
Security
(The Guardian) The United States has begun planning to gradually withdraw combat soldiers from Iraq and place a greater emphasis on training if the current troop increase fails, it was reported today. The Los Angeles Times said the fallback strategy, based partly on the US experience in El Salvador in the 1980s, was in the early planning stages. A Pentagon official told the paper: "This part of the world has an allergy against foreign presence. You have a window of opportunity that is relatively short. Your ability to influence this with a large US force eventually gets to a point that is self-defeating."
The LA Times report came as the president, George Bush, confirmed at the weekend that he would send an extra 4,700 combat support troops and military police to Iraq in addition to the "surge" of 21,500 combat forces announced in January. Mr Bush is also sending an extra 3,500 troops to Afghanistan in expectation of increased fighting in spring.
A whittling down of the US military presence would fit in with comments made to Congress by the defence secretary, Robert Gates, last month. He said that if the "surge" failed, the fallback plan would include moving troops "out of harm's way". Such a plan would also come close to the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which included Mr Gates before his appointment as the defence secretary. The US has about 141,000 US troops in Iraq and the current buildup will add 21,500 combat soldiers and several thousand more support troops as part of a new strategy to deprive safe havens for insurgents.
The plan is being implemented by General David Petraeus, the new US commander for Iraq and a counterinsurgency expert who won praise for his record in Mosul, northern Iraq, at the start of the 2003 war.
But even his supporters admit that Gen Petraeus has only about six months to improve the situation, particularly to reduce the level of sectarian killing in Baghdad.
A whittling down of the US military presence would fit in with comments made to Congress by the defence secretary, Robert Gates, last month. He said that if the "surge" failed, the fallback plan would include moving troops "out of harm's way". Such a plan would also come close to the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which included Mr Gates before his appointment as the defence secretary. The US has about 141,000 US troops in Iraq and the current buildup will add 21,500 combat soldiers and several thousand more support troops as part of a new strategy to deprive safe havens for insurgents.
The plan is being implemented by General David Petraeus, the new US commander for Iraq and a counterinsurgency expert who won praise for his record in Mosul, northern Iraq, at the start of the 2003 war.
But even his supporters admit that Gen Petraeus has only about six months to improve the situation, particularly to reduce the level of sectarian killing in Baghdad.
Labels: General David Petraeus, troop surge, troop withdrawal, U.S.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
UK, Denmark plan to withdraw troops from Iraq
Security
(AP) Britain will withdraw nearly half its troops from Iraq by the end of the year if local forces can secure the southern part of the country, Prime Minister Tony Blair planned to announce Wednesday. Around 1,500 of Britain's 7,000-strong force will return home shortly, a British government official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak before Blair's statement. Britain has long been America's biggest coalition partner in Iraq.
Another coalition member, Denmark, was also expected to announce plans to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq, Danish media reported. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen had earlier said he hoped Denmark would begin scaling back its 460-troop contingent this year, without setting a precise timetable.
Blair's office said the British leader would make a statement on Iraq and the Middle East to Britain's parliament following his weekly House of Commons questions session. It would not disclose the content. But the official said Blair planned to outline a strategy which would leave about 4,000 British soldiers in southern Iraq by the end of 2007 if the security there is sufficient.
Blair and President Bush talked by secure video link Tuesday morning about the proposals, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. Bush views Britain's troop cutbacks as "a sign of success" in Iraq, he said. According to the Brookings Institution, other major partners in the coalition include South Korea (2,300 troops), Poland (900), Australia and Georgia (both 800) and Romania (600).
Another coalition member, Denmark, was also expected to announce plans to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq, Danish media reported. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen had earlier said he hoped Denmark would begin scaling back its 460-troop contingent this year, without setting a precise timetable.
Blair's office said the British leader would make a statement on Iraq and the Middle East to Britain's parliament following his weekly House of Commons questions session. It would not disclose the content. But the official said Blair planned to outline a strategy which would leave about 4,000 British soldiers in southern Iraq by the end of 2007 if the security there is sufficient.
Blair and President Bush talked by secure video link Tuesday morning about the proposals, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. Bush views Britain's troop cutbacks as "a sign of success" in Iraq, he said. According to the Brookings Institution, other major partners in the coalition include South Korea (2,300 troops), Poland (900), Australia and Georgia (both 800) and Romania (600).
Labels: Blair, Denmark, troop withdrawal, Uk
