UK in talks to hand Iraq role to Australia

[cal04]

BRITAIN is negotiating with Australia to hand over military command of southern Iraq to free up British troops for redeployment to the front line in Afghanistan.
An announcement is expected within weeks that several thousand British soldiers are to be sent to Afghanistan. The prospect of Australia taking command at the Basra headquarters will be a key item in talks that John Howard, the Australian prime minister, will be holding next weekend with Tony Blair and President George W Bush.

Howard, who is also considering sending a few hundred troops to Afghanistan, insisted last week that Australia would remain in Iraq “until the job is finished”. Australian SAS soldiers are already taking over from their British counterparts in southern Iraq to allow up to two British special forces squadrons to Afghanistan, senior defence sources said. If Britain hands over command, American commanders are keen for Australia to take over. However, there is widespread opposition to the Iraq war in Australia. “A framework has been devised between Britain, America and Australia in which the UK will take the frontline role in Afghanistan,” said one senior defence source.

“The aspiration is that the Australians will take over command of Multi-National Division South-East. But the whole issue of Iraq is very delicate in Australia, as it is here.” Kim Beazley, leader of the opposition Australian Labor party, called last week for the Canberra government to withdraw its troops from Iraq before committing more forces to Afghanistan. Delicate negotiations have been under way for some months to determine exactly how many troops the Australians can offer to replace British soldiers based in Iraq.

Australia could easily take command of the relatively peaceful southeastern region, but it has limited numbers of support troops and up to 2,000 British soldiers will remain in Iraq under Australian command. In Afghanistan, British troops will form a big part of Nato’s 5,000-strong Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, which will take command of allied operations in the country early next year. There are currently just over 1,000 British troops in Afghanistan and 8,500 in Iraq.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1688234,00.html

[warsager]

1. WTF?

What does this mean?

[FightingIrish]

4. The last one to leave must turn out the lights

[tocqueville]

5. you mean turn ON the lights

Iraquis have electricity only 4 hours a day

[ollie79]

14. yeah

When I lived in Egypt we at least had it 16 hours a day!

[warsager]

7. that was funny

but yeah there won't be any lights left I guess if everyone gets their way. Wonder how many times the BU$H CRIME FAMILY has wondered a loud how easy things would be if they just flattened the goddamned place with a nucUlar bomb? I mean, all they want is under the ground anyhow, right?

[1932]

2. The UK handed political control of Basra over to Iraqis immediately (with-

in the first week, IIRC).

George Friedman (a conservative, whose opinion I don't trust, but who, at least, asserts a few facts once in a while) noted this fact in his book, America's Secret War (IIR the title C).

He said that the US was livid when the British did that.

[Spazito]

3. Interesting, it looks like both Britain and Canada are increasing

the number of troops in Afghanistan, one has to assume Afghanistan is not the 'success' espoused by the bush cabal and Tony the poodle given these current items.

It seems both Iraq and Afghanistan was not the 'cake walk' predicted by so many in the radical right wing.

[warsager]

6. So I guess the UK suspects

Al Queda really was behind the London bombing and this is why, or was this already in the planning?

If Austraila is largely against this war, won't they protest against their troops taking over? Doesn't the UK pulling out mean they don't think they should be there anymore? This seems like a pretty big deal.

Did anyone read about the SCO asking the US to kindly remove their troops from their bases, please?

[foreigncorrespondent]

11. I won't make...

...comment on last weeks London bombings. I have my own theories about it, but now isn't the time for that.

If Australia is largely against this war, won't they protest against their troops taking over? Doesn't the UK pulling out mean they don't think they should be there anymore? This seems like a pretty big deal.

Do you think little Johnnie fuck face Howard really cares about what the Australian people think, or even want? If you do, then think again.

He doesn't give a shit about the people. He never listened to the people when over half the country was against the war. Most were protesting in the streets. He went against the wishes of the country. He was Bush*s little rubber stamp boy.

The U.K. might be pulling out, but do you think little Georgie and his oil buddies wanna give up the oil? They also can't risk the pipeline in Afghanistan. And Bush* and his buddies know that the state Afghanistan is in right now, they do risk losing what they have built.

Just start calling Australia, Little America from now on. Howard sold us out the moment Bush* stole office in 2000.

[warsager]

12. yes

...last weeks London bombings. I have my own theories about it, but now isn't the time for that.

Me too. I already mentioned it to a couple people but they think I am nuts. I realized I AM nuts because I hate and distrust these criminals soo much that I can't think like a *regular* person anymore.
:tinfoilhat:

He doesn't give a shit about the people. He never listened to the people when over half the country was against the war. Most were protesting in the streets. He went against the wishes of the country. He was Bush*s little rubber stamp boy.

:cry: yes i know, you are right.

The U.K. might be pulling out, but do you think little Georgie and his oil buddies wanna give up the oil? They also can't risk the pipeline in Afghanistan. And Bush* and his buddies know that the state Afghanistan is in right now, they do risk losing what they have built.

Again, you are right. I don't know why sometimes I forget and try to used reality-based thinking and not faith-based thinking. Thought crime.

[Spazito]

13. I think it is a big deal, the UK is reducing their 'risk', per se

and using Afghanistan as an excuse. That is not to say Afghanistan is a 'cake walk' by any means, it is not but Great Britain will, by becoming part of a NATO action, be reducing it's direct partnership with the US in Iran. It will be interesting to watch this develop and the reaction of the bush cabal, it could signal a great deal, imo.

[Gloria]

8. The "relatively peaceful SE region" is the focus of a separatist

movement, with Chalabi at the forefront....

But, I'm wondering if the plan is to have US "allies" in the South and in Kurdistan independent (oil country) (but under US influence) and to hell with Baghdad and central Iraq.....

[cal04]

9. PM promises to be open on troops

THE Australian public would be the first to know if the Federal Government decided to send more troops to Afghanistan, Prime Minister John Howard said today. He promised Australians would know of any decision to commit more Australian Defence Force personnel before United States President George W. Bush.

"If we decide to make a commitment, the Australian people will now about it before anybody else," he said on Channel 9. He said the Afghanistan Government had asked Australia to send troops as violence increased before the nation's parliamentary elections in September. Federal Cabinet will discuss the issue this week, before Mr Howard leaves for the US and United Kingdom.

Mr Howard said last week's terrorist attacks on London would not sway Australia from sending troops. "We haven't made the decision," he said. "I should make it clear that what's happened in London over the past few days won't have an impact on that decision. "There's no way that that would tilt us against if that were our disposition." US officials have said violence will increase as the September parliamentary election draws nearer. Three Afghans working to prepare the polls have been killed in the past month and fighting with remnants of the Taliban regime is intensifying.

Australia committed 1550 soldiers and sailors, ships and planes to the US-led war against terrorism in Afghanistan in 2001. Mr Howard said he did not believe Australia made a mistake in pulling troops out of Afghanistan and diverting them to the war in Iraq. "No, I don't, because the judgment made at the time was that the military task to which we were committed when we sent our forces had been achieved," he said. "The situation in Afghanistan is still in the sweep of things very good, but it's nonetheless necessary to make sure that the gains of the past several years are not lost. "And if there is a way in which we can help, we'll consider doing that, but we haven't taken a decision and we'll be looking at the matter next week.



http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15882617%255E1702,00.html

[warsager]

10. but aren't things

worse in Iraq?

:nuke:

[MadisonProgressive]

15. I don't think so...

There are big problems in Afghanistan now. The Taliban is getting stronger and it is becoming much more dangerous - even in Kabul, which is where the entirety of the government is holed up. We pulled out so many troops to go into Iraq, we've endangered what security they had there.

[warsager]

16. ugh

everything in every direction is pure $hit.

:banghead:

I feel like submitting. Do it to Julia.

I think feel defeated. It really does take a toll. I need a vacation from reality. Got any Vicodon?

[Karenina]

17. No, but try one of these...

[warsager]

19. that's hilarious

THANKS Karenina!

[MadisonProgressive]

18. I wish I did.

[jazzjunkysue]

20. Aussies are fun, not stupid.