Britain plans
major cut in Iraq troops
Foreign Desk Report
LONDON—Britain expects to be able to withdraw “thousands” of its troops
from Iraq by the end of 2007, Britain’s Defense Minister Des Browne said
on Monday. Browne refused to give specific numbers, but said: “By the
end of next year I expect numbers for British forces in Iraq to be
significantly lower by a matter of thousands.”
Military planners have been working on a possible troop reduction for
some months, Browne said a speech in London. He also called on neighbors
Iran and Syria to give Iraq their “full and undivided support.”
Britain has around 7,200 troops in southern Iraq, mostly stationed in
and around Basra, the country’s second largest city. Shi’ite factions
are battling each other for control of the oil-rich area and British
troops are sometimes attacked.
The government is coming under increased political pressure to bring
soldiers home and Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett said last week
Britain hoped to hand over control of Basra to Iraqi forces early next
year.
“I have been asking our planners to look at all the options to make sure
we do not ask a single soldier to remain in Iraq longer than is
necessary,” said Browne.
Britain has already handed over control of Muthanna and Dhi Qar, two of
the four southern provinces it took responsibility for after the
U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Maysan province is due to meet the conditions
for handover in January. Browne stressed any 2007 troop reduction would
only be possible if efforts to boost Iraq’s own security capabilities
went according to plan and that it was contingent on the Iraqi
government’s wishes.
“We need to be clear that handover does not mean withdrawal,” he said,
adding that it was not worth speculating whether there might be any
longer-term presence. “The situation in the long term in Iraq will of
course depend on the Iraqi government’s expectation of us,” he said.
There have been growing calls for Washington to engage with Iran and
Syria to stop Iraq descending into civil war and Browne said Iran would
face isolation unless it played a positive role. “Its behavior remains a
cause of deep concern,” he said. “Support from within Iran goes to
groups who are attacking our forces, but also to groups who are simply
fuelling the sectarian violence. This is unacceptable.”
“So the message to Iran is simple. Be a constructive partner, help
yourself as well as the wider region or face increasing isolation”.
Britain said Monday it expects to withdraw thousands of its 7,000
military personnel from Iraq by the end of next year, while Poland and
Italy announced the impending withdrawal of their remaining troops.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski said his country, a U.S. ally in Iraq
and Afghanistan, would pull its remaining 900 soldiers out of Iraq by
the end of 2007. And Italian Premier Romano Prodi said the last of
Italy’s soldiers in Iraq — some 60-70 troops — will return home this
week, ending the Italian contingent’s presence in the south of the
country after more than three years. |
