quote: SECRET PLAN TO QUIT IRAQ Sat Jul 09 2005 19:16:16 ET
BRITAIN and America are secretly preparing to withdraw most of their troops from Iraq - despite warnings of the grave consequences for the region, the SUNDAY MAIL in UK is reporting.
A secret paper written by UK Defence Secretary John Reid for Tony Blair reveals that many of the 8,500 British troops in Iraq are set to be brought home within three months, with most of the rest returning six months later.
The leaked document, marked Secret: UK Eyes Only, appears to fly in the face of Mr Blair and President Bush's pledges that Allied forces will not quit until Iraq's own forces are strong enough to take control of security.
If British troops pull out, other members of the Alliance are likely to follow. The memo says other international forces in Southern Iraq currently under British control will have to be handled carefully if Britain withdraws. It says they will not feel safe and may also leave.
Embarrassingly, the document says the Americans are split over the plan - and it suggests one of the reasons for getting British troops out is to save money. Mr Reid says cutting UK troop numbers to 3,000 by the middle of next year will save GBP 500million a year, though it will be 18 months before the cash comes through.
The document, Options For Future UK Force Posture In Iraq, is the first conclusive proof that preparations for a major withdrawal from Iraq are well advanced.
The British Government's public position is that UK troops will stay until newly trained Iraqi forces are ready to take control of security. Less than a fortnight ago, Mr Blair said it was 'vital' the US-led coalition stayed until Iraq stabilised, and Mr Bush endorsed his comments.
Mr Reid's memo, prepared for Mr Blair in the past few weeks, shows that in reality, plans to get them out - 'military drawdown,' as he puts it - are well advanced.
It says: 'We have a commitment to hand over to Iraqi control in Al Muthanna and Maysan provinces two of the four provinces under British control in Southern Iraq in October 2005 and in the other two, Dhi Qar and Basra, in April 2006.
posted
Sounds like more Drudge crap....even if it turns out true, he is still a lowlife. I didn't follow the link, so I am guess it was him, but it sounds sketchy, and that reminds me of him...
Only about 1/3 of his "stories" are any more than that....stories....
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Ding ding ding! What do we have for him, Charlie?
P.S. I don't understand why Drudge would make it up. Not in the sense of "it has to be true, why would anyone make that up" but more in the sense that I don't doubt there are papers in the UK that would run such a story. Because it's a tightly kept secret that above the top secret designation is a lesser known classification of "For UK eyes only". Or maybe they misspelled UR.
Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:BRITAIN and America are secretly preparing to withdraw most of their troops from Iraq - despite warnings of the grave consequences for the region, the SUNDAY MAIL in UK is reporting.
posted
How is this news? Or even particularly "secret?" Britain's been saying that it was going to hand off Basra to Iraqi control for almost a year now.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Um....The last sentence quoted above, about the "commitment" to turn over all provinces under British control to the Iraqis by 2006? That's not a secret. It's been publicly announced.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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