Send more troops or risk failure, Blair told (leaked confidential memo)

[tinnypriv]

Send more troops or risk failure, Blair told
The Telegraph, September 4 2003

Jack Straw has issued a grim warning to Tony Blair that Britain and America risk "strategic failure" in Iraq unless they send more troops to improve security and speed up moves towards self-government.

...

The Foreign Secretary's deep concerns about the "deteriorating" situation in Iraq are spelt out in notes drawn up for a meeting between him and the Prime Minister at No 10.

The notes, marked "Confidential" and compiled by civil servants in several Whitehall departments, have been seen by The Telegraph.

...

The Iraqis had high expectations for reconstruction which were not being met. "Electricity generation still around 25 per cent below pre-war levels, and transmission undermined by looting and sabotage," he says.

...

The Foreign Secretary describes the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) as lacking "basic capability"

...


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/09/04/nirq04.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/09/04/ixportaltop.html (my emphases)

...

Comment: Somebody needs to throw this in Bremners face! :mad:

[Bozita]

1. This could be the last straw for the poodle.

Can John Howard and Dumbya be sleeping well lately?

[saigon68]

5. LAPDOG POODLE

I guess "Great" Britain must also have an inexhaustible supply of Money to pour down the Iraqi RAT-HOLE.

Or so thinks CHIMPANZEE'S LAPDOG POODLE.

[aquart]

2. Somebody should throw something in Bremer's face.

Is he still on vacation?

[Djinn]

3. Howard's sleeping

If he can nod off with children indefinetly jailed in the desert and the refusal to apologise to the Stolen Gen - I think our illustrious "leader" wont have too much trouble with this. I would also have added something about throwing something in Howards face but it would first have to be removed from Dubya's bum.

Jack Straw isn't saying anything really surprising - unless you watch Fox you'd know that access to water and electricity in Iraq are well below pre-war levels and that security is non existent, but just like the BRAVE PRIVATE LYNCH "captured/bravely fought back/tortured" garbage the first story is heard and internalised - the retractions or contradictory stories are only ever run in the better quality media and sometimes even then not at all. It's like dog whistle politics - you can print a retraction or a factually correct follow up but what is remembered is the whistle not the content.

I also think the media will soon start ignoring the plight of Iraqi people altogether - particularly if the situation remains tense, does anyone remember the last prime time piece they saw about Afghanistan, half the population probably think the "coalition of the willing" have finished up and returned home when the reality is that it is bedlam and the US supported puppet government is useless.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Camel dung would be good!

I am still waiting for the dancing and singing in the streets. I think it will come, but it will come when the US and the UK troops go home in defeat!

[saigon68]

6. "BRING IT ON"

quotation by Chimp Bush 43rd U.S. President--ca: 2003

[dbt]

7. Excuse me?

How much more of a failure could this Oil War possibly be? As is becoming more apparent with each passing minute (and as most DUers knew from the git-go) we had no business invading Iraq in the first place!

:grr:
dbt

[screembloodymurder]

9. We who protested were the patriots.

Bush's war has weakened the US economically, militarily and diplomatically. Americans will wake up to insolvency. When will we ever learn.

[T_i_B]

8. Iraq was not a security threat before, but it is now.

It is increasingly apparent to all but the most deluded hawks that the decision to invade Iraq was a mistake of massive proportions. Now of course this is copmmon knowlege on DU and I for one feel more vindicated than ever in my decision to take part in the anti-war marches and protest against an unjust, illegal and immoral war.

However the task in hand now is a different one. The task is that of repairing the damage we have done, making Iraq safe again and getting things working in Iraq. The best people to help on that front will be the United Nations. The United Nations has the experience, the ability, the resources and the altruism to help build a better Iraq. however, will Bush & Blair have the guts to scede power in order to do the job properly? I am not optimistic on that front. Experience shows that nither the US nor the UK governments can be trusted at the present time.