uk troops withdraw from basra palace

[ABBAFAN]

.Good.perhaps soon they will be out of iraq completely.

[bigboywooly]

The first step in reducing the number there

I suppose we will see how good the Iraqi security forces are now

All those troops in the airport is bound to draw fire from insurgents

Tis the last province of the 4 the UK troops started with

[bradclark1]

The first step in making them be responsible for themselves.

[Skybird]

What is left is a troop contingent in just one place, they said on TV. This is what makes it easy to pull them out any time soon. That two most senior British generals had opened fire at the american way of waging and planning the war the past days, most probably is not by random coincidence. the ties of this "special relationship", which with regard to Iraq means nothing more than that Britain allowed itself to get tricked and abused for pathetic propaganda only, are about to get removed, as far as Iraq is concerned.Im looking forward to some major entertainment show once the diplomatic fire is opened from both sides when the British move out completely. About time that this obedient submission to the american war in Iraq gets ended. What was a moral thing for Blair, has been a disgrace for Britain. Let's see if more of the ressources they free in Iraq are shifted to Afghanistan. While Iraq is lost, Afghanistan also has become extremely desperate, although ground battles are won. It's just that this kind of military victories does not mean much in Afghanistan. they are pyrrhus victories only. As I use to say: "Trapped in the Afghan maze".

[Jimbuna]

Well don't hold your breath because personally I'm not convinced they're up to the job :nope: I predict lots of armoured vehicle or airborn carried assistance :yep:

[bookworm_020]

Basra is reasonaliby stable compared to the rest of Iraq. Yes, the is still trouble, but the Iraqi forces there seem ready to take over. The Iraq's were told when things were stable and Iraqi forces were ready to take over, that they would hand over power and withdraw.

I believe in the last couple of months they have done less patrols, letting the Iraqi's do it themselves. For the sake of all there, I hope the region stays stable.:up:

[samniTe]

The first step in making them be responsible for themselves.

and conforming to western ideals!

[August]

The first step in making them be responsible for themselves.
and conforming to western ideals!

You mean like not attacking and bombing schools, churches, markets and other concentrations of ones own civilians? That kind of western ideal?

[HunterICX]

The first step in making them be responsible for themselves.
and conforming to western ideals!

You mean like not attacking and bombing schools, churches, markets and other concentrations of ones own civilians? That kind of western ideal?

the Western Ideal sound a lot more conforming for the ones that just want to live their lives?
if the people of such countries would vote, they would have vote for the Western ideal for sure. so they could go to the market without to be worried that some moron blows himself up.

[Skybird]

if the people of such countries would vote, they would have vote for the Western ideal for sure.
Not so fast with that assumption, young Jedi. sunni as well as Shia would have voted for a constitution anchored in the laws of Islam. And that has no room for what you label as "Western ideal".

Several examples illustrate the truth in that cautioning.

[JALU3]

Some once argued that Japan was incompatible with western social systems, morals, and democracy . . . but with much effort Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupied_Japan) has become a country with a Western Democratic System of Government, holding to western ideas of law, while keeping their social history intact.
This to is possible with Iraq . . .

[Skybird]

Some once argued that Japan was incompatible with western social systems, morals, and democracy . . . but with much effort Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupied_Japan) has become a country with a Western Democratic System of Government, holding to western ideas of law, while keeping their social history intact.
This to is possible with Iraq . . .
You need to read about the face of "democracy" in Japan. And the social brutality the society if plagued of. they do not compare neither to Amnerican nor to euopean interpretations of "democracy".

Also, Japan had no other choice, was not Islamic, it had no more strength, no more resistance, no more opposition, and was under undisputed dominance of the winners. Would you say that about the ever increasing resistance in Iraq, and the demand of the people for living by the rule of sharia? majorities amongst both Sunnis and Shias want that.

Iraq in no way ever compared to post-war Germany, or post-war Japan. That comparison was and is a total non-brainer. Iraq - was a lost war already from the first shot on.

[JALU3]

Iraq was, and is not a lost war, it is definatly not a total victory, but neither is it a total loss. There are to significant potions of the current conflict. The first was that against that Hussein Regime . . . the second was the post Hussein nation-state of Iraq. I will not argue that the latter has gone no where close to as planned . . . but to say it is lost is defeatist and would doom that nation-state (no matter in how many portions it ends up being) to a ruined failed state which will take decades to recover from.
What I will say is that the first part was a hands down win. The latter is an ongoing operation. This operation needs a lot more manpower and resources to achieve a security state which will allow for stability to occur, and economic and educational development to be revived. Now one can debate whether the US and other interested nation-states have the willpower to use the resources and manpower available to them to provide a proper security state for there to be a functional nation-state . . .