Reply #21: The introduction of conscription might change their minds [View All]

[fedsron2us]

There is nothing like having your arse on the line to concentrate the mind. Most people assume this is not likely to happen but they do not seem to understand how overstretched the British army has become. Blair has committed troops to more theatres of miltary activity than any British Prime Minister since the time of Suez. Even though regular soldiers tours of duty are getting longer and longer, the army is still having to rely on reservist and territorial call ups to make the numbers. Grave concerns were expressed about this situation by the military before the invasion of Iraq commenced. As usual these misgivings were ignored by the idiot politicians who love to will ends but baulk at providing the means. This is hardly suprising considering most of them have never heard a shot fired in anger.

The British commanders in Basra have made no secret of their alarm at the way the situation in Iraq has been handled by the CPA. They know that they can only sustain their position in the south by not alienating mainstream Shia opininion. The following quotation appeared in the Daily Telegraph

- ' the commander of British troops in southern Iraq, Brig Nick Carter, admitted that he would be powerless to prevent the overthrow of Coalition forces if the Shia majority in Basra rose up in rebellion. Brig Carter, of the 20 Armoured Brigade, who has been in Iraq for four months, said British forces would stay in Basra with the consent of local Shia leaders, or not at all. Last month, 14 British soldiers were injured in Basra, at least three seriously, when they came under attack from demonstrators armed with petrol bombs, rocks and a grenade. "A crowd of 150,000 people at the gates of this barracks would be the end of this, as far as I'm concerned," Brig Carter said. "There would be absolutely nothing I could do about that . . ." During an interview in Basra last week Brig Carter acknowledged that the Coalition's presence in southern Iraq was entirely dependent on the goodwill of the local Shia Muslim leader, Sayid Ali al-Safi al-Musawi. He represents Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq's leading Shia cleric. "The moment that Sayid Ali says, 'We don't want the Coalition here', we might as well go home," Brig Carter said. ' -

If the CPA is stupid enough to send US troops into Najaf and Kabala then the Brigadier and his men had better start packing their bags for Blighty now.