In Basra, violence is a tenth of what it was before British pullback, general says
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD: Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said Thursday.
The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad's Green Zone.
"We thought, 'If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?'" Binns said.
Britain's 5,000 troops moved out of a former Saddam Hussein palace at Basra's heart in early September, setting up a garrison at an airport on the city's edge. Since that pullback, there's been a "remarkable and dramatic drop in attacks," Binns said.
"The motivation for attacking us was gone, because we're no longer patrolling the streets," he said.
(Continued here.)
BAGHDAD: Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said Thursday.
The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad's Green Zone.
"We thought, 'If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?'" Binns said.
Britain's 5,000 troops moved out of a former Saddam Hussein palace at Basra's heart in early September, setting up a garrison at an airport on the city's edge. Since that pullback, there's been a "remarkable and dramatic drop in attacks," Binns said.
"The motivation for attacking us was gone, because we're no longer patrolling the streets," he said.
(Continued here.)
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As you read this story, consider these two stories :
From The Guardian : In a stark assessment of the morale of British troops, General Sir Richard Dannatt warns that the pressures of waging two simultaneous campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan are 'mortgaging the goodwill of our people'.
British troops feel 'devalued, angry' and are 'suffering from Iraq fatigue', according to the head of the army, who warns that Britain's military covenant is under strain.
From The New York Times Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki visited Iran in August and met with the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the Shiite shrine city of Mashad. Mr. Maliki told the Iranian leader that “Iran had to choose whether to support the government or any other party, and Iraq will decide according to which they choose,” Mr. Dabbagh [the Iraqi government’s spokesman] said. The Iranians promised to help and have done so, he said.
Mr. Dabbagh’s comments echoed those of the American military here, who in recent days have gone out of their way to publicly acknowledge Iran’s role in helping to slow the flow of weapons into the country.
= = =
The unanswered question is “What was the impact of the US troop surge?”
Seems like the Brits may be experiencing positive results by reducing troop levels as they are experiencing less physical fatalities and injuries while addressing the morale impact.
And diplomacy with Iran can have some impact.
Jeez … that’s interesting ? Isn’t that what the Iraq Study Group and many other experienced diplomats suggested ? link and link
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