| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq-Jordan |
| Britain Agrees to Move Troops Nearer Baghdad |
| 2004-10-21 |
| EFL (Reuters) - Britain agreed on Thursday to a U.S. request for UK troops to move to dangerous areas near Baghdad, a politically risky step for Tony Blair who could face a sharp backlash if casualty rates start rising. Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told parliament about 850 personnel would move north for a period of weeks, not months, to allow U.S. troops to tackle insurgents elsewhere. But of course, the ankle-biters accuse Blair of aiding W's re-election campaign "This deployment is a vital part of the process of creating the right conditions for the Iraqi elections to take place in January," he said. U.S. military chiefs asked for UK forces to move north into volatile areas near Baghdad in order to free up U.S. troops to focus on hotspots like Falluja before the elections. "We share ... a common goal of creating a secure and stable Iraq where men, women and children in towns like Falluja can feel safe from foreign terrorists," Hoon said. Politicians, many in Prime Minister Blair's Labour party, are aghast at the prospect of British troops being moved to areas of greater danger. Until now, the British have been concentrated in a relatively quiet zone of southern Iraq around the second city of Basra. Since the Iraq war began, 68 British troops have been killed, compared with more than 1,000 Americans. HT - Drudge |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #3 LH was knee-jerking, which is why I ignored it. You're spot-on, Mike |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-10-21 6:45:13 PM |
| #2 LH - I think this is an internal, short-term realignment to bring extremely heavy pressure to bear on one hot-spot: Fallujah. There won't be a need for the extra troops after the attack, but the US wants someone watching their backsides and adding moral support to the forces left behind in Baghdad. Remember, Patton sent three divisions rushing north out of France into Belgium to relieve Bastogne. He asked the Seventh Army to send some troops to fill in the hole he was leaving in the front lines. It worked, and a couple of weeks after the initial attack was crushed, everybody returned to where they were before. There's no need for EXTRA troops (which would take anywhere from days to weeks to get in-country and up to speed), because everything is expected to be over in a short time. I hope it IS Fallujah, and I hope they leave nothing larger than sand grains when they finish. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-10-21 6:21:52 PM |
| #1 to allow U.S. troops to tackle insurgents elsewhere. some here have said the number of US troops is not a constraint. Hmmm? |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-10-21 11:00:47 AM |