NPR doing story about how British controlled Basra is really peaceful.

[AP]

Damn, I hate that Tony Blair. What does he think he's doing actually keeping peace in Iraq.

They're saying that it's partly due to Britain's style, but also due to the fact that their all Shiites in Basra.

Oh, I don't know about that. I bet the US could have found a way to fuck things up in Basra.

Will someone please admit that it's better that the UK is in Iraq than if they were on the sidelines watching the US destroy the middle east.

[DUreader]

1. NPwhoRe? Was it on Weakened Edition?

What do you think you are doing, crediting NPR?

[are_we_united_yet]

22. I think it was

All Things Considered with Robert Seagull (sp?)

[fizzana]

2. Basra is all Shiite

and was also the center of the Anti-Saddam movement so it's not too surprising.

I've also read that the British soldiers are a lot less uptight to begin with and interact a lot better with the locals.

[AP]

4. And apparently they're not turning over all assets to Haliburton to...

...become detonation practice for the resistance. But I'm just guessing.

By the way, the UK is doing all this with only 11000 troops.

[charlie]

12. Also, i understand they're better suited,

better trained for guerrilla situations. Their presence amongst the civilians is more often foot patrols, instead of attached to vehicles, which makes our guys more vulnerable to hit and run attacks.

[alcuno]

3. They're waiting.................

Why kick the Americans and the British out now when you can get them to pay for the restoration of services and then kick them out? Also, they are leaving the insurgence to the middle of the country. Why beat up on the Americans when others will do it for you? People in the Middle East have a patience that is non-existent in the Western world.

[AP]

5. I haven't read any stories about Blair taking taxpayer money and giving

it over to Bush cronies. Even Cairn Energy, Bush's buddies in Edinburgh, are staying out of Iraq now (they're fucking up Nepal right now).

[alcuno]

20. I don't know where the money is going, but I heard today that

Britain has pledged another 300 million for Iraq. The Iraqis don't care who is getting our money.

[AP]

24. 300 million isn't that much.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Anything you say, NPR

Four soldiers hurt in Basra blast, BBC, Monday October 13

Attack on British Basra base, BBC, Wednesday October 8

UK soldier kills Iraqi at protest, BBC, Saturday October 4

Anything you say.

[DUreader]

7. Four soldiers hurt in Basra blast (two explosions)

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&edition=us&num=30&newsclusterurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml%3Fxml%3D/news/2003/10/14/wirq14.xml%26sSheet%3D/news/2003/10/14/ixnewstop.html


Four British soldiers are wounded by Basra bombs
Telegraph.co.uk, UK - 1 hour ago
By Jack Fairweather in Baghdad. Four British soldiers were wounded
yesterday by bomb explosions in the southern Iraqi city of Basra ...

Two more US soldiers die in Iraq attacks
Ireland Online, Ireland - 11 hours ago
Two more American soldiers were killed and three were wounded in two
incidents in northern Iraq, the US military said. One soldier ...

British soldier injured in Basra explosion
Ireland Online, Ireland - 17 hours ago
A British soldier was slightly injured today in an explosion on the outskirts
of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the British military said. ...

Four soldiers hurt in Basra blast
BBC News, UK - 14 hours ago
Four British soldiers have received minor injuries in two separate
explosions in Basra in southern Iraq. The first blast caused ...

Four soldiers hurt in Basra blasts
Reading Chronicle, UK - 15 hours ago
Four British soldiers have been slightly injured in two separate explosions
in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. British military ...

Soldiers hurt in Iraq blast
icWales, UK - 16 hours ago
Four British soldiers were slightly injured today in two separate explosions
in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the British military said. ...

Four soldiers hurt in Basra blast
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 16 hours ago
FOUR British soldiers was slightly injured Monday in two separate explosions
in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the British military said. ...

Soldier injured in Basra blast
Reading Chronicle, UK - 16 hours ago
A British soldier has been slightly injured in an explosion on the outskirts
of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the British military said. ...

British soldier injured in blast
Ananova, UK - 16 hours ago
British military spokesman Captain Hisham Halawi said the incident in
southern Iraq is under investigation. Witnesses said the explosion ...

Two more US soldiers killed in northern Iraq
News 24 Houston, TX - 22 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Two more US soldiers have been killed and three
are wounded after two separate incidents in northern Iraq. ...

Two more US soldiers killed in northern Iraq
Katu.com, OR - 8 hours ago
BAGHDAD - Two more US soldiers have been killed and three are wounded
after two separate incidents in northern Iraq. The US military ...

Four British soldiers injured in explosions near Basra .
Hi Pakistan, Pakistan - 15 hours ago
BASRA: Four British soldiers were slightly injured Monday in two separate explosions
in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the British military said. ...

[DUreader]

8. Crime-racked Basra calls on British troops to get tougher

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=452374

[AP]

14. From the article

There is no doubt that the troops are doing their best - patrolling, confiscating weapons, training more Iraqi police officers. But it is equally obvious that they are severely stretched.

....

When the tribes feud with heavy weapons, he negotiates ceasefires. He seizes weapons when they are displayed provocatively. He visits mosques to try to influence the imams on Thursdays, before they speak at prayers the following day. His men have renovated classrooms, so the schools could open on time this month. They work hard on hearts and minds, but they know they're struggling in the front line of a fight that should have been wrapped up long ago.

....

He has no cause to be: in the back streets of Basra lurk men who dream of driving the British out. Some once ruled these streets with terror, and now rove them inciting revolt. But when the threats they issue are repeated by the doctors and the professors outside the palace in Basra, it is time to listen.

[DUreader]

9. Former soldiers riot in Basra

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1056672,00.html

[AP]

16. From the article

Locals in Basra said five people had been wounded by rubber bullets.

[DUreader]

10. Attack on British Basra base

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3176064.stm

[AP]

17. From the article

There are not thought to be any casualties or damage to the base, Saddam Hussein's former palace in the city and now used by 19 Mechanised Brigade.

But it is the first such attack in Basra in months.

...

Major Mayo said the mood in Basra had been "very calm" in recent days.

[DUreader]

11. Three British Soldiers Killed In Basra

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2003-08/23/article02.shtml

[AP]

13. OK, so that's all of it then? UK is doing a better job than US?

?

[DUreader]

15. I doubt thats all of it. I just pulled stuff from first pages.

Did you forget about the "Good News In Iraq" Admin. News Blitz

NPR is doing their part

[AP]

19. Yeah, and they can't find any in the American held areas

so they have to go to Basra and then downplay the UK's actions by saying that it's only because they're all Shiites in Basra.

[DUreader]

21. Point Taken, Basra is better off than Tikrit or Bag.

In any conclusion beyond that re: Blair the Iraq War Enabler

I cannot join you.

Blair could have forced W*s hand and let US go Unilaterally

He cut some deal.

[AP]

23. Apparently, Blair tried to prevent the invasion.

When Bush decided to go in, I suspect Blair was thinking, either we stand on the sidelines and watch the US destroy the ME, or we go in, set up a calm area, make the US look bad by comparison, and wait for a Democratic president, and, in the meantime, retain a voice in what goes on in Iraq rather than be marginalized like France and Germany.

The US would have acted unilaterally and they would have gotten no more derision than they do for having gone in with only the UK.

Notice how all the dem candidates are still able to point to US unilateralism and the failure to create a coalition? Blair didn't stop them from doing that much.

I just don't understand how anyone can think it would have been better for Blair to have stay out.

[AP]

18. From the article

This one is about 7 weeks old...



The deaths bring to 11 the number of British soldiers killed in Iraq since U.S. President George W Bush declared major combat operations over on 1 May.

...

In recent weeks, violence has intensified in British-controlled southern Iraq, which had been much quieter than U.S.-run areas around the capital.