Is the "handing back" of Basra a fleeing as Zawahiri suggested ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7147354.stm
Or was this a successful hand over, even despite the failuer to establish security ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7124042.stm
Personally I thing they did the right thing be leaving, a lot off the issues for Busra people handed due to the troops being their and in the illegal war that has happened, at least they can work towards controling themseleves
Originally posted by reinfeldSo we both agree that the war was illegal....and as you rightly pointed out...so are most
all wars are "illegal"...do you think people enter into a contract to start or defend themselves in war ?..and i don't think treaties count...did not stalin and hitler have a treaty to invade and divide poland ?...
The question is, is it a good thing they handed over or are they fleeing ?
Originally posted by RSMA1234Gordon Brown lacks the political will to see this conflict through to its proper end, and is condemning thousands of Iraqis to death. Not just the population of Basra, but also those Iraqis who risked their lives to help the British. At the very least these brave people should be given immediate asylum in the UK.
So we both agree that the war was illegal....and as you rightly pointed out...so are most
The question is, is it a good thing they handed over or are they fleeing ?
The terms of a handover were clear, to be done once the Iraqi security forces were able to maintain security. By their own admission, this has not happened.
So, I do not see the withdrawal of Basra as anything other than a cowardly withdrawal, not by the armed forces, but by the spineless and clueless leadership of this country
No matter what Western forces do, local strongmen will try to paint it favorably for them. I think it's just best to ignore these fools and let our own (or the Brits' in this case) psyops do their job.
I find it interesting to see that a British withdrawal is being used to make Americans look weak. That's nonsense. Call the Brits weak if you want (I am not calling them that, however). But to call the US weak for a British withdrawal of troops? Come on.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3059926.ece
Also, there is a telling contrast between what has been won by the American “surge” and lost through the British “slump”. We once boasted about the virtues of a “softly-softly” style, allegedly honed in Northern Ireland, but the truth is that the British Forces have been so softly-softly that the local militias long ago decided that we were not very serious about using our troops to exercise influence.
Originally posted by Merki guess what works in civilized countries is inappropriate elsewhere.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3059926.ece
Also, [b]there is a telling contrast between what has been won by the American “surge” and lost through the British “slump”. We once boasted about the virtues of a “softly-softly” style, allegedly honed in Northern Ireland, but the truth is that the British Forces have be ...[text shortened]... ong ago decided that we were not very serious about using our troops to exercise influence. [/b]
Originally posted by RSMA1234Yepeeyah!
Is the "handing back" of Basra a fleeing as Zawahiri suggested ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7147354.stm
Or was this a successful hand over, even despite the failuer to establish security ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7124042.stm
Personally I thing they did the right thing be leaving, a lot off the issues for Busra p ...[text shortened]... nd in the illegal war that has happened, at least they can work towards controling themseleves
Gordon Brown was voted in through a democratic society who wanted to see a change in Iraq and it's good to see he is doing that by leaving(as the people want) as quickly as possible.
Al-Sadr is quite popular there with his Mahdi Army and he has called for them to lay down their arms and not even pick them up if attacked. It was his hope that "other" terrorist organisations would follow his lead.
The biggest problem in Iraq does not lie in the south but other areas where the Sunnies were bribed/paid etc to fight against Al-Quaida. Many think it is a temporary gain which could turn but it has decreased many deaths so fingers crossed.
