Britain to set timetable for withdrawal from Iraq

With Tony Blair on his way out, the British military is developing plans to withdraw almost all of its combat troops out of Iraq over the next 12 months:

Military chiefs have drawn up plans to speed up the withdrawal ofthe vast majority of British troops from Iraq within 12 months.

The new proposed timetable, which would see almost all the 5,500British troops return home by next May, will be presented to GordonBrown when he takes over as Prime Minister later this month.

Mr Brown is due to visit Iraq where it is believed commanders willbrief him about the options. The new proposals were reported to havesuggested withdrawing almost all troops, leaving only a small number ofteams in the south to advise Iraqi military forces.

General Sir Richard Dannatt, Britain's top army commander, admitted last year that occupational forces in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems":

"Whatever consent we may have had in the first place" from the Iraqi people "has largely turned to intolerance," he said.

I wonder if Bush got that memo?  Hopefully the Pope can talk some sense into Bush when they meet this week -- but I wouldn't bet on it.

Comments

[granny]

Boy, it's a real toss up as to which one is the more likely to go up in flames at that meeting ~