The US military have had to endure a fair amount of old world sneering from their coalition allies to the south almost from the beginning of OIF. The British were fond of explaining how their experiences in Northern Ireland had better prepared them for the kind of “soft hat” policing that would win hearts and minds in any counter insurgency campaign, while tut-tutting over the harsher measures used by over-armored Americans in Baghdad and Fallujah.
Never mind: Having given up the coastal city of Basra to the tender mercies of gang warfare and retreated to cantonment – where remaining efforts are dedicated to defending themselves from attack – our coalition allies submit that nothing more useful can be done:
Two generals told The Independent on Sunday last week that the military advice given to the Prime Minister was, “We’ve done what we can in the south [of Iraq]“. Commanders want to hand over Basra Palace ‚Äì where 500 British troops are subjected to up to 60 rocket and mortar strikes a day, and resupply convoys have been described as “nightly suicide missions” ‚Äì by the end of August. The withdrawal of 500 soldiers has already been announced by the Government. The Army is drawing up plans to “reposture” the 5,000 that will be left at Basra airport, and aims to bring the bulk of them home in the next few months.
Before the invasion in 2003, officers were told that the Army’s war aims were to bring stability and democracy to Iraq and to the Middle East as a whole. Those ambitions have been drastically revised, the IoS understands. The priorities now are an orderly withdrawal, with the reputation and capability of the Army “reasonably intact”, and for Britain to remain a “credible ally”. The final phrase appears to refer to tensions with the US, which has more troops in Iraq than at any other time, including the invasion, as it seeks to impose order in Baghdad and neighbouring provinces.
Never postured to perform the kind of “clear and hold” operations on-going in Baghdad, the British position now is analogous to the pre-surge US position. It would be useful to let our allies leave the field with honor intact, and see what develops next in Basra. Although ethnically homogeneous, it would nevertheless present an interesting petri dish for those who theorize that a rapid-withdrawal of US troops is in the general interest.
Perhaps, after a brief tussle for control, a kind of rough equilibrium could be reached in the south. Perhaps not.
In either case, the result would be instructive for all of us.
“Let Them Go”
Just trying to get a sense of the snark level in the post.
Still not quite sure…
I feel sorry for the British soldiers that fought and died for freedom only to see the field won by thugs and criminals due to politics…
God Bless their souls and thank you soldiers for standing up.
As far as I can tell, Basra is quickly going right to hell. One heck of a petri dish Lex…
It wasn’t the British soldiers who, if having not lost, are now attempting to exit with the shreds of their honor and reputations intact. I’d posit it was, in fact, those who thought they’d learned so much from battling the IRA and who even now believe a little more tut-tutting will win the hearts and change the minds of Iraqui thugs, Iranian sympathizers, Al Quada terrorists and London street gangs. You know, civilians who figured actually fighting would be, um, counter-productive and might harm the self-esteem of the enemy.
Some days I wonder if there exists a stiff upper lip south of the river Tweed.
– Max
Need to Know 8.20.2007 – Fred Thompson, Hillary Clinton, Robert Novak, Cindy Sheehan, Iran, the Brits in Iraq, and the Children of the Fallen…
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Right Wing News
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gee.
one would think that by the fourth time you occupy a city you might finally get it right.
Cap’n, et al
Reminds me of a place called Dien Bien Phu.
That’s not what will happen. If the Brits do the Dunkirk, it’s our fellows who’ll be sent to fill the breach. In any case, no matter the events or results, our internal domestic enemies are unlikely to draw a productive conclusion.
The Brits are showing a weak hand, and the other players are pressing their bets. I’m sure that some harried LtCol on the CENTCOM staff has the deathwatch.
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Casca,
I totally agree. However, the same thing happened at DBP and look where it got us.
In this case, we’re already involved with major force committment. Perhaps a Special Forces type of engagement is needed when the Brits do a Dunkirk?
“The priorities now are an orderly withdrawal, with the reputation and capability of the Army “reasonably intact”…”
As a military neophyte, I’m not sure why they are so worried about their reputations…seriously, can someone please explain that one to me? We’ve got our best of the best, and thensome, putting their lives on the line while this country’s reputation has gone to hell in a hand basket. Yet we continue with our commitment to the Iraqi people…I’m confused.
Kris, All the British Army has at this point is what little remains of their above adverage military reputation and that’s not much…this is a bug out plain and simple…and they know it…stiff upper lip, allies and all that, special relationship… John Bull… bull-s**t… notwithstanding.
Thankfully we’re not them. Best
It had to have been very, very difficult for US servicemen to keep their mouths shut back in 2003 when the British were all over the media announcing how much better they were at urban operations than the American forces. I remember being surprised when fairly high-ranked American naval officers made publicly disparaging remarks about the British sailors that surrendered to the Iranians. I wonder if we?
It had to have been very, very difficult for US servicemen to keep their mouths shut back in 2003 when the British were all over the media announcing how much better they were at urban operations than the American forces. I remember being surprised when fairly high-ranked American naval officers made publicly disparaging remarks about the British sailors that surrendered to the Iranians. I wonder if we’ll see American army officers giving truthful opinions in public about the performance of our British allies now.
SD, it’s nothing like Dien Bien Phu. DBP was a well planned and executed ambush on a very large scale. The Brits have simply, to borrow a phrase from dear Maggie, gone wobbly on us.
Kris (Kristen?), Re your last sentence # 12 above…The performance of our magnificent grunts and the staying power of the USA will say all that has to be said about that. Best
Snake – Thank you for the explanation in you comment #11 above. It’s kind of what I thought, but needed the confirmation.
And – Kristen and I are 2 different commenters here. And I do agree with both of you. Which is frustrating in its correctness – America is always standing watch somewhere.
Snake Eater, no doubt you’re right. I rather enjoyed the frankness of the naval officers at the time, but I’m guessing they got reprimanded for it somewhere in the chain of command. Just getting the job done is probably the best comment our military can make.
Kris, yes, being the de facto policemen for the world is frustrating, especially since we get so little gratitude for the sacrifice that doing that job entails. But I’d rather have us in that position than any other nation, as I’m sure you would too.
MajMike, ROTFLMAO!
This is not the first time the Brits lost the bubble in Iraq. Anyone still under the illusion we can bring peace and stability should study the history of British occupation in the 1920s and 1930s. It’s eerie, the same names, the same places, the same jaw-dropping eye-bulging awakening to the sheer savagery the Brits were sent to lure into democracy’s camp. In time, probably the same results. I’m proud of every Brit who’s been there (I’ve a British cousin en route in just two months), but when it comes down to it, Her Majesty’s government has bigger than problems than civilizing Basra, and I’m amazed they’ve stayed with us this long.