British evacuate consulate in Basra, Blair faces "humiliating" defeat on Iraq.

[Coexist]

Telegraph article here

The British consulate in Basra will evacuate its heavily defended building in the next 24 hours over concerns for the safety of its staff.
<snip>
The move will be seen as a huge blow to progress in Iraq and has infuriated senior military commanders. They say it sends a message to the insurgents that they are winning the battle in pushing the British out of the southern Iraqi capital, where several British soldiers have died and dozens have been injured.

<snip>
Without the British officials' presence the stability of the city's fragile economy and political infrastructure could unravel, paving the way for Iranian-influenced militias to take control. There are about 200 staff at the impressive consulate building - formerly one of Saddam's palaces - including a team of bodyguards and ex-Gurkha guards. There were 12 full-time staff, some hand-picked by Tony Blair.

Of course, the move is being billed as "temporary". Sure, it is. :eyes:

Now... help me out here - I thought the British were in the process of handing over control of Maysan provinces to the Iraqis, so they could concentrate on Basra?

In other shocking news from across the pond, Tony Blair's transformation into George's Mini-Me is complete as he refuses to "allow a wide-ranging inquiry into the crisis in Iraq - because - wait for it... it would "undermine the British forces and give succour to Iraqi insurgents."

WTF??

[Benhurst]

1. Come on, Labour. You can do it.

Flush :hurts: the nasty little turd.

[Coexist]

2. this could be it.

Really.

[StellaBlue]

7. I thought the Downing Street Memo would be "it"

:(

[Coexist]

8. It should have been,

but I think this will seal the deal for the last of his supporters.

[Coexist]

3. .

[malaise]

4. BLIAR is in big trouble

He's going to lose this vote.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6096098.stm

[Hubert Flottz]

5. Gut and Run Tony...

Too Tame Tony knows a disaster when he sees one.

[ContraBass Black]

6. "Humiliation" ought to be the least of it.

[Coexist]

9. They have planned a vote for TONIGHT.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,,1935857,00.html

"Downing Street has warned there would be "very real consequences" for British troops if the government is defeated tonight in a crunch vote on whether to hold another inquiry into the Iraq war.
>snip>
The Conservatives have warned that if their compromise is not accepted, they will "reluctantly" back the nationalists' call for an immediate inquiry in order to make the government think again."

[truebrit71]

10. Poodle is a lame-duck, and very little support amongst the populace...

...the bbc.co.uk instant poll has 85% in favour of an inquiry, it's time to get the message across in no uncertain terms, Poodle, you lied us into this war, and your 'legacy' will be one of spineless devotion to a moronic semi-simian and his blood-lust...

[Coexist]

11. Blow-by-blow of the debate points here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6103196.stm

(also - a live video feed on the right of the page)

At-a-glance: Iraq inquiry debate
Here are the key points so far from the House of Commons debate on the call for an inquiry into the Iraq war. The debate started at 1605 GMT and is scheduled to last three hours.
Adam Price


The Plaid Cymru MP opened the debate by saying the Iraq war was a "monumental catastrophe", which was about "the breakdown in our very system of government".

A "proper inquiry into what went wrong" could rebuild public mistrust. It must focus on "false claims" leading to war, why the war happened and why planning for the war had failed, he added.
Continues