GU: Britain to pull troops from Iraq as Blair says 'don't force me out'

[grytpype]

Conflicting reports tonight about whether Britain is going to pull out in May!

The Guardian says yes!

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1577937,00.html

Britain to pull troops from Iraq as Blair says 'don't force me out'

· Defence Secretary confident withdrawal will start in May
· Plan follows pressure for exit strategy

Peter Beaumont and Gaby Hinsliff
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

British troops will start a major withdrawal from Iraq next May under detailed plans on military disengagement to be published next month, The Observer can reveal.

The document being drawn up by the British government and the US will be presented to the Iraqi parliament in October and will spark fresh controversy over how long British troops will stay in the country. Tony Blair hopes that, despite continuing and widespread violence in Iraq, the move will show that there is progress following the conflict of 2003.

Britain has already privately informed Japan - which also has troops in Iraq - of its plans to begin withdrawing from southern Iraq in May, a move that officials in Tokyo say would make it impossible for their own 550 soldiers to remain.

The increasingly rapid pace of planning for British military disengagement has been revealed on the eve of the Labour Party conference, which will see renewed demands for a deadline for withdrawal. It is hoped that a clearer strategy on Iraq will quieten critics who say that the government will not be able to 'move on' until Blair quits. Yesterday, about 10,000 people demonstrated against the army's continued presence in the country.

(more)

The Scottsman says NO, these plans have been scrapped because of the total breakdown of the situation in Basra! That on orders of the Ministry of Defense, the Basra police force is going to be scrapped and a new one rebuilt from scratch, and this will prevent ANY withdrawal!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1803803

What's the truth?

[Robertwf]

1. Is there Truth?

The terrain is totally topsy-turvy in Iraq. It is clear that the Brits are totally jittery about the situation. I think this may well be the setting for the civil war in Iraq that people have been forecasting. Then where are we? Hopefully turning over the keys to the last Humvee.

[MisterP]

2. Puddy: "Don't PUSH me! See, this is WHY you're going to hell!"

[TomClash]

3. Why not pull the soldiers out?

Let's take the British and US Governments at their word, as twisted and false as their word may be. The mission was to oust the Dictator Saddam Hussein and rid the country of WMDs. The country has no WMDs and Saddam is gone. We've trained a new army and police force and held elections. Isn't it time to come home?

[Sir Jeffrey]

4. "Britain to pull troops from Iraq" Guardian online

snip

"British troops will start a major withdrawal from Iraq next May under detailed plans on military disengagement to be published next month, The Observer can reveal.

The document being drawn up by the British government and the US will be presented to the Iraqi parliament in October and will spark fresh controversy over how long British troops will stay in the country. Tony Blair hopes that, despite continuing and widespread violence in Iraq, the move will show that there is progress following the conflict of 2003."

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1577937,00.html

That's it. The war will be over by the midterms.

[pinniped]

5. Is this before or after the MOD disbands the 25,000 strong...

Iraqi police force, causing them to stay until at least 2007?

[opihimoimoi]

6. Oh Boy...The Bushies will have a fit to be tied....Hmmmmm

[okieinpain]

22. no it will be their excuse to pull out and try to savage the 06 election

[grytpype]

7. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1803900

and the Scotsman says this plan has been scrapped, see the above post.

[redsoxliberal]

8. kick

[struggle4progress]

9. As trouble increases in "George and Tony's Excellent Adventure,"

.. Tony begins to cling needily to George ...

[Applan]

10. Britain to pull troops from Iraq (London Observer)

British troops will start a major withdrawal from Iraq next May under detailed plans on military disengagement to be published next month, The Observer can reveal.

The document being drawn up by the British government and the US will be presented to the Iraqi parliament in October and will spark fresh controversy over how long British troops will stay in the country. Tony Blair hopes that, despite continuing and widespread violence in Iraq, the move will show that there is progress following the conflict of 2003.

Britain has already privately informed Japan - which also has troops in Iraq - of its plans to begin withdrawing from southern Iraq in May, a move that officials in Tokyo say would make it impossible for their own 550 soldiers to remain.

More: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1577937,00.html
The will of the people.

[whistle]

11. U.K. needs to pull out now! That would force Bush to pull out also

[skooooo]

13. I agree. The Brits are a big piece of the puzz.e now.

[Kerrytravelers]

12. The house of cards is falling.

THe will of the Bristish people made this happen. The will of the American people has kept us out of Iran... for now. We must stay strong in these very imprtant times.

[Amonester]

16. Agreed. The will of the Good People Everywhere will prevail.

The will of (a majority of) American and British people must stay strong and exact obedience from ALL their EMPLOYEES in governments.

NOT ONE MORE

[bahrbearian]

14. Oh thats just Great , now you've gone and gave the insurgents.

a time table , they'll just wait us out.

[bluestateguy]

15. These stories pop up every few months in the papers

and yet never seem to materialize with actual withdrawls of British troops.

[ourbluenation]

17. Britain to pull troops from Iraq as Blair says 'don't force me out'

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1577937,00.html

Defence Secretary confident withdrawal will start in May
· Plan follows pressure for exit strategy

Peter Beaumont and Gaby Hinsliff
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

British troops will start a major withdrawal from Iraq next May under detailed plans on military disengagement to be published next month, The Observer can reveal.

The document being drawn up by the British government and the US will be presented to the Iraqi parliament in October and will spark fresh controversy over how long British troops will stay in the country. Tony Blair hopes that, despite continuing and widespread violence in Iraq, the move will show that there is progress following the conflict of 2003.

more...

[patdem]

18. Is that like blair being pulled out...kicking and screaming??

This makes no sense to me!

[Cha]

19. Only "10,000" in Britain

Protesting? I would have thought there would be much more.

Also.. Japan is pulling out too, then.

[psychopomp]

20. UK pulling out of Samawah announced last week

I think the withdrawl will take place in October, which means that Japan will pull it s GSDF from its superfortress starting soon. Koizumi wants to have the ASDF play a role in order to make up for this loss so as to maintain some kind of active contribution to the Iraq war.

I posted this in LBN a few days ago.

[Cha]

21. This just read..there were

more protesting in Britain..

"And in London, where two protesters climbed the Big Ben clock tower near the Houses of Parliament, police said around 25,000 joined demonstrations."


More on World demonstrations..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3552147.stm

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. That was March 2004 (n/t)

[Cha]

26. Oh dear, Off by over a

year..Sorry, :silly:

Thanks for pointing out my flub! :)

[GetTheRightVote]

27. there were more, Galloway said so during his speech at our rally saturday

Alot more.

:kick:

[leesa]

24. The Brits are in big doodoo in Iraq now that they have been caught

playing "Iraqi suicide bomber". The US soldiers were caught doing it too. They packed a guy's car with explosives while they "interrogated" him and then told him to go quickly to the place they wanted bombed. He discovered the bombs they planted. London bombings anyone?

[0007]

25. May???

Bring them home TODAY!