Why the British are scaling back in Iraq

[babylonsister]

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fg-brits22feb22,1,4360133.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage&ctrack=1&cset=true

Why the British are scaling back in Iraq

The military can't fight there and in Afghanistan without approaching 'operational failure,' one critic says. Something had to give.

By Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writer
February 22, 2007

LONDON — Britain's decision to pull 1,600 troops out of Iraq by spring, touted by U.S. and British leaders as a turning point in Iraqi sovereignty, was widely seen Wednesday as a telling admission that the British military could no longer sustain simultaneous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The British military is approaching "operational failure," former defense staff chief Charles Guthrie warned this week.

"Because the British army is in essence fighting a far more intensive counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan, there's been a realization that there has to be some sort of transfer of resources from Iraq to Afghanistan," said Clive Jones, a senior lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Leeds, who has closely followed Britain's Iraq deployment.

"It's either that, or you risk in some ways losing both," he said. "It's the classic case of 'Let's declare victory and get out.' "

Prime Minister Tony Blair's government has been pressed to add 800 troops to Afghanistan to halt a resurgent Taliban and a worrying escalation of drug trafficking, at the same time that it is beset by criticism for joining the United States in an unpopular invasion and prolonged war in Iraq. The 132nd British soldier to die in Iraq, Pvt. Luke Daniel Simpson, was buried Wednesday. He was killed Feb. 9.

The decision to draw down forces by more than 20% in the southern city of Basra means that Britain will significantly shrink its military footprint at a time when the Pentagon is increasing U.S. troop levels to battle militants to the north, in Baghdad and Al Anbar province.

more...

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. I sincerely doubt Bushetals were 'surprised' by Blair's announcement

which sort of makes his "surge plan" more of a put some gravel in the pothole plan.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. It could also be because the British don't want to be sitting so close to Iran

when Smirky attacks. It could be that they want to get out before Bush/Israel attack Iran.