London discloses plans to withdraw from Iraq
Iraq-UK, Politics, 3/8/2006

A senior British military official confirmed reports which indicated London's intention to withdraw its forces from Iraq within two years, on that such withdrawals will start gradually as from now until the mid of 2008.

The spokesman for the British defense office said that the commander of the British forces in Iraq gen. Nick Hoton said clearly that the withdrawal of his country's forces is linked the conditions in Iraq.

He added he had talked about the likely scenarios and the main point is that no decision has been taken yet on the schedule nor the level of forces under various conditions.

However, the " The daily telegraph" quoted Gen. Hoton as saying that his country will withdraw most of its forces in Iraq because of the confidence in the 225,000 Iraqi policemen and soldiers who were trained for this purpose and can replace his troops. Some 8,0000 British troops are currently deployed in Iraq.

He added that the Iraqis are in need of seeing the foreign forces withdraw shortly in order to feel assured it does not intend to remain in this country and considered that there is a very tiny difference between staying for a longer time and early withdrawal.

He disclosed that the US agrees on this point but does not have the same schedule.

Certain aspects of the British plan were explained by Hoton by saying that it was in phases. The first of it starts in the few coming months after the transfer of the responsibility of the security forces in the governorates of Meisan and al-Muthanna to the new Iraqi security forces.

The British commander described the plan "which wins the consent of the American army as 'flexible'." He explained that this "plan can be converted because the coalition forces can remain in Iraq "voiceless."

He set conditions for the implementation of the schedule the formation of a national unity government in Iraq and lack of increased sectarianism. He commented that "withdrawal can be reflected to the extent necessitated by the fact that the coalition forces in Iraq can work without diverting attention."

The British leaders in the area where their forces work said that their forces are under increased danger since in the past 8 or 9 months gunmen developed types of bombs they planted on the roadsides that are more effective.

In February two British soldiers were killed in an attack against one vehicle in al-Amara area, 360 km to the southern east of Baghdad.

Previous Stories:
  Jaafari: formation of government is internal decision   (2/22/2006)
  Straw in Iraq to deal with youngsters beating   (2/21/2006)
  News of the world: British soldiers brutally attacking Iraqis civilians   (2/13/2006)
  Iraqi detainee killed, London investigates violations by its soldiers   (2/13/2006)
  London: withdrawal from Iraq is approaching   (2/8/2006)
  British soldier killed in Basra   (11/21/2005)

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