Blair to recall troops

[dcentity2000]

Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq.

Mr Blair is due to make a statement about the 7,000 British troops serving in Iraq at the Commons on Wednesday.

The BBC's James Landale said 1,500 troops were expected to return home in months, rising to 3,000 by Christmas.

Source and full story: BBC News

He keeps on saying he's gonna do this, but this is the first time any kind of figure has been pinned down.

Who knows, maybe he'll do what he says he will this time.



Rich::

 

[TheDoctor]

I wonder how bush is going to react to this? This is the opposite of a surge

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I thought there was speculation that we may be bringing some troops home by year's end.

 

[LakeAriel]

How long have we been saying it will be only Bush/Cheney and his dog who still believe in this war? Oh yeah and a handful of Disboarders.

 

[dcentity2000]

I reckon it's because we can't afford to stay any more!



Rich::

 

[TheDoctor]

Here is a statement from Senator Kerry.

Kerry Response to British Redeployment Plan

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) issued the following statement today, in response to Prime Minister Tony Blair’s expected announcement that he would be withdrawing British troops on a fixed timetable, including the redeployment of 1,500 soldiers in the coming weeks and 3,000 troops home by Christmas.

“America’s leading ally in Iraq has decided that a timetable for the phased redeployment of troops is the only responsible policy to help force Iraqis to stand up for Iraq,” said Kerry. “After years of touting Prime Minister Blair’s resolve, the Administration should now pay attention to his new policy. This announcement makes it all the more inexplicable that the President and leading Republicans actually want to send more American troops into the middle of an Iraqi civil war.”

 

[DISUNC]

Good for the UK! I wish them all a safe return.
Now if ONLY we had a leader with half a brain!

 

[TheDoctor]

In addition to losing Great Brittain and Tony Blair, the coalition of the wiling is losing Denmark and Lithuania. Here is the article on Denmark http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070221/ap_on_re_mi_ea/denmark_iraq;_ylt=AlyYhyaryy6EdD7r8ygsaxlvaA8F

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Denmark was expected to announce plans to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq at a news conference on Wednesday, Danish media reported.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has earlier said he hoped Denmark would be able to start scaling back its 460-troop contingent this year. He has not yet set a precise timetable.

Wednesday's news conference in Copenhagen was expected to coincide with a British announcement of a new timetable for the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, the TV2 news channel reported. The Danish contingent serves under British command in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

Here is the article on Lithuania. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Lithuania-Iraq.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) -- Lithuania is ''seriously considering'' withdrawing its 53 troops from Iraq, a government spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Timetables are okay if our allies announce them but are bad if they come from the US?

 

[dcentity2000]

In addition to losing Great Brittain and Tony Blair, the coalition of the wiling is losing Denmark and Lithuania. Here is the article on Denmark http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070221/ap_on_re_mi_ea/denmark_iraq;_ylt=AlyYhyaryy6EdD7r8ygsaxlvaA8FHere is the article on Lithuania. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Lithuania-Iraq.html?_r=1&oref=sloginTimetables are okay if our allies announce them but are bad if they come from the US?

It strikes me that there are less and less nations backing the continued occupation of Iraq.

Including Iraq.



Rich::

 

[Laz]

Actually, 5500 British troops will remain. The areas the coalition forces control are relatively peaceful, so the British are turning the control over to Iraqis and redeploying to bases to act as support.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070221/D8NE6EPG1.html

"The actual reduction in forces will be from the present 7,100 - itself down from over 9,000 two years ago and 40,000 at the time of the conflict - to roughly 5,500," Blair said.

If Iraqi forces are judged ready to assume more responsibility for security in southern Iraq, Britain could further reduce its force level to below 5,000 once a base at Basra Palace is transferred to Iraqi control in late summer, Blair said.

Blair said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had agreed to the plan.

"What all of this means is not that Basra is how we want it to be. But it does mean that the next chapter in Basra's history can be written by Iraqis," Blair said.

Some are claiming that this is being done to keep Prince Harry out of Iraq. Here are some articles about Harry being deployed:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/20/news/prince.php

http://www.breitbart.com/news/na/paIraqwed15harryiraq.html

 

[dcentity2000]

Some are claiming that this is being done to keep Prince Harry out of Iraq.

I'm not sure what I think about Harry being deployed - it could go massively either way.



Rich::

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I thought there was speculation that we may be bringing some troops home by year's end.

Maybe, maybe not, and either way, it's pure speculation. Based on everything he's every said regarding the war, our CIC would never set a timetable for the troops withdrawl.

 

[TheDoctor]

Here is a press release from Senate Majority Leader Reid on the Brittish phase redeployment and new timetable for withdrawal http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/s...07/0004531893&EDATE=WED+Feb+21+2007,+12:05+PM

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today released the following statement on news that the British government will begin to redeploy its troops from Iraq.

"By announcing its decision to redeploy troops from Iraq, the British Government has acknowledged a reality that President Bush still stubbornly refuses to accept. There can be no purely military solution in Iraq. The British recognize there must be a political solution, and the Iraqis themselves must make the necessary political compromises. It is past time for President Bush to acknowledge that basic truth.

"Today's news is further evidence that the Bush plan to escalate the war is misguided, and demonstrates once again why it was strongly rejected by bipartisan majorities of the House and Senate. At a time when President Bush is asking our troops to shoulder a larger and unsustainable burden policing a civil war, his failed policies have left us increasingly isolated in Iraq and less secure here at home. Instead of escalating against the express will of Congress and the American people, the President should follow the advice of military leaders and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and change course in Iraq."

 

[reeeoga]

Maybe more info than what The Doctor is posting would help.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070221/D8NE6EPG1.html

So what Mr.Blair has said is that as the Iraqies take over, Britain can pull out. Isn't that what has been said for 4 years?

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Maybe more info than what The Doctor is posting would help.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070221/D8NE6EPG1.html

So what Mr.Blair has said is that as the Iraqies take over, Britain can pull out. Isn't that what has been said for 4 years?

Well now, I guess we should all just say that we'll believe it when we see it. Words, words, words.....blah, blah, blah.

 

[reeeoga]

Well now, I guess we should all just say that we'll believe it when we see it. Words, words, words.....blah, blah, blah.

Blair has been saying for the past few years that as the Iraqies take over, the British would begin pulling out. Now he is doing what he has said. Sounds good to me.

 

[dcentity2000]

I quote:

Prime Minister Tony Blair has told MPs that 1,600 British troops will return from Iraq within the next few months.

He said the 7,100 serving troops would be cut to 5,500 soon, with hopes that 500 more will leave by late summer.

Remaining troops will stay into 2008, to give back-up if necessary and secure borders, but the Iraqis would "write the next chapter" in Basra's history.

Source and full story: BBC News

Ta-daa!



Rich::