Why Basra ?

[kentuck]

Reports of carbombs in southern Iraq raises a question : Why in Basra and not Baghdad? Could it be that since some of the coalition are now pulling out their troops, symbolically it is a good time to scatter the forces. The US troops are spread thin already and if violence breaks out in the north and south, the more friendly areas towards the Americans up to now, it will create a lot of pressure on America to defend areas they are not equipped to defend. This is not a good sign in the big picture.

[Quetzal]

1. Are the UK forces serving in Basra?

[kentuck]

3. Yes, but there are not enough to handle any major uprisings...

as indicated by these carbombs..

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. To make the Brits demand

that Blair pulls out of Iraq.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. They weren't aimed at the British

they were aimed at the Iraqi police. Perhaps the answer is "why not?", perhaps it was because security is more lax in Basra, perhaps they wanted to show they're all over the country, not just the central bit.

I don't think attacks in which no Britons are killed will have much effect on British public opinion.

[theboss]

5. I don't think there is any overall strategy here

That's like asking, "Why Sbarros?" Do the Palestinians hate cheap Italian food?

Basically in Iraq it seems to be a matter of where insurgents are and what targets are available. I don't think there is any type of command structure with an over-arching theory.

It's basically, where can we most easily cause chaos?