U.S. Adviser Tells London Paper: Brits Have Lost Basra & Face An "Ugly Withdrawal"

[kpete]

U.S. Adviser Tells London Paper: Brits Have Lost Basra



Published: August 19, 2007 12:20 AM ET

LONDON An adviser to the U.S. military said British troops have lost control of the Iraqi city of Basra and face an "ugly" withdrawal in the coming months, a British newspaper reported.

Stephen Biddle, a member of a group that advised U.S. Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq last year, told the Sunday Times that "insurgents are calling the shots" in the southern city.

"I regret to say that the Basra experience is set to become a major blunder in terms of military history," Biddle was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The insurgents "in a worst-case scenario will chase us out of town."

British forces have already been moving from a combat role to aiding Iraqi forces in southern Iraq, and Britain is expected to hand over control of Basra to Iraqi troops in the next few months.

more at:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003627837

[NMDemDist2]

1. an 'ugly withdrawal" of 5000 troops very close to the seaports and Quwait

just think how ugly it will be to try and get 160,000 American troops safely to the border

:scared:

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Yes - People Are Totally Ignoring This

If we ever get a majority of actual Democrats elected to Congress, and we withdraw, it will be ugly, ugly ugly.

[whistle]

2. Bush will ask congress to authorize 20,000 more American troops and $250 billion

....in new funding to secure Basra and the Democrats in Name Only financed by Felix G. Rohatyn will obediently fall in line and like lemmings support the ReThuglicons and the president on this insane failing cycle of continuous war. That will then set the stage for further escalation of the war into Iran