US wants Britain to lead 'surge' in southern Iraq

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

LONDON (AFP) - The US plans to urge Britain to launch a "surge" in Basra to combat increasing violence in the southern Iraqi region, the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported.

Britain, which has around 4,100 troops in Iraq, transferred control to Iraqi forces in December last year but could now be asked to step up its role again amid top-level concern about the situation, the paper said.

It quoted an unnamed senior US military source saying: "Three big militias are currently engaged in a particularly bloody battle in southern Iraq. US and Iraqi forces are involved in a huge operation to attack an Al-Qaeda stronghold in Mosul.

"But after that, the plan is to turn the coalition's attention on to Basra and we will be urging the British to surge into the city. If they do not have enough troops, then they will be offered US Marines to help out. The feeling is that if southern Iraq is hugely unstable, it will affect the success of the surge in the north and destabilise the whole country."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080323/wl_mideast_afp/britainusiraqmilitary

[TwilightGardener]

1. Um--I think the British are done with this whole adventure.

And the fact that we don't have much control over anything except Baghdad (if that) means we ain't "winning"--we are just spinning our wheels. What a clusterfuck.

[rurallib]

3. Green Zone shelled this morning

[LeftishBrit]

2. Bloody hell..

Hope Gordon turns out less of a poodle than Tony! (And I expect so.)

Bush can WANT us to take over some of the mess, but that doesn't mean he'll get what he wants.

[Middle finga]

4. Bush/Chaney/McCain need to forget it

they are the only ones in the world that still seems to think this war is "romantic". On second thought maybe they can persuade their new poodle in France to contribute to the Neocon cause.

[Amonester]

14. Their new poodle in France just got...

a big (political) SLAP in the face LAST WEEK...
so...
IMHO, NO way.

[PFunk]

5. Anit going to happen.

I may be a yank but I'm starting to feel that both Iraq an Afghanistan are starting to become toxic to british politicos-especially Labor ones. Unlike american politicos british ones actually pay attention to their voters and many of them want out of this mess.

[Arctic Dave]

6. If the Brits are as smart as they usaully are, I think

they will give the US the big finger. In case nobody is noticing, these are internal disputes,and not the Brits.

[mwb970]

7. They can't possibly be as stupid as we are.

This plan should be DOA.

[Hissyspit]

8. Clusterfuck cont'd. n/t

[goforit]

9. Sounds like they are more gearing up for IRAN!!!

[ShockediSay]

12. & if we continue down this road, the draft is

how far behind?

[grytpype]

10. Look at Basra, that's how the rest of Iraq is going to be when we leave.

When the Brits pulled out of Basra, the local militias started fighting each other for control of the city. That's what's going to happen in every city and village once we pull out. And it's too bad, it's more blood on the neocons' hands, but we can't help the situation.

[bemildred]

11. I'm sure the flower of British youth will step forward to eagerly give their lives

in hopes of saving Cheney's political legacy.

[Karenina]

13. In the words of the sainted Nancy Reagan

JUST. SAY. NO.

[sofa king]

15. Fascinating.

For years I said that Iran wouldn't be invaded until the Brits got out of the way in Basra. Once American armor is over the river there, it's a straight and level drive down the Iranian coast to Bushehr, which is where all the oil is (don't believe that crap about nuclear weapons; Bushehr is sitting on top of one of the few major new oil and natural gas discoveries of the 21st Century).

So the Brits did get out of the way, and I think the only thing that stopped everything was the election of 2006.

Now, we're asking for them to come back. What does that mean? Maybe ol' Dick has decided that Iran ain't in the cards for now. I guess Venezuela will be the next down on the list.