Thursday, October 12, 2006
Britannia Wavering - Is this the End of the "Coalition" ?
Iraq - The Bombshell from Britain * The Gorilla On Bush's Back
If British forces pull out of Iraq that would be much more than the proverbial 'straw' that breaks the camel's back. It is no secret that the much-vaunted "coalition" in the war against Iraq consisted mainly of British and American forces. Australia still has a presence -- a somewhat insignificant presence -- total of under 2000 armed personnel. Poland and Italy have announced withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2006.
Therefore, British army chief Sir Richard Dannatt's blunt statement for withdrawal from Iraq must have sent shockwaves all the way across the Atlantic. Stretched, as the American soldiers now are, without support of the British army their situation would be untenable.
"Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as "naive." No doubt Downing Street will issue clarifications and assurances. But Sir Richard's statement is on record. No amount of dancing around it will lessen its impact.
U.K. Troops in Iraq Said Hurt Situation The Associated Press/Washington Post Thursday, October 12, 2006; 5:59 PM LONDON -- The head of the British Army said British troops in Iraq are making the situation worse and must leave the country soon, according to a newspaper interview published Thursday. The British military should "get ourselves out sometime soon because our presence exacerbates the security problems," Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt told the Daily Mail in the interview released on the tabloid's Web site. "We are in a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear," he added. "As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but we weren't invited certainly by those in Iraq at the time. "Dannat's comments are certain to infuriate Prime Minister Tony Blair who is President Bush's key ally in the war in Iraq. He described Blair's policy toward Iraq as "naive." It is highly unusual for a sitting military commander to publicly criticize the government's foreign policy."Whatever consent we may have had in the first place" from the Iraqi people "has largely turned to intolerance," he said. |
"In a blistering attack on Tony Blair's foreign policy, Gen Dannatt said the continuing military presence in Iraq was jeopardising British security and interests around the world."
See detailed report in The Guardian.
