UK forces 'destabilising Basra'

[Barrett808]

The governor of Basra province has accused British forces of destabilising security following the arrest of 12 people over attacks against UK troops.

The men, some of whom are police officers, are still being questioned.

Governor Mohammed al-Waili said the British should have co-ordinated with him and with Iraqi security forces.

But the BBC's Caroline Hawley said the police force was thought to have been infiltrated by militiamen involved in attacks on troops.

Seven British soldiers have been killed in a spate of attacks involving roadside bombs since May.

A military spokesman told the BBC co-ordination would have been very difficult because the local council had issued orders to all policemen not to have any dealings with UK forces.

...

Mr Kennedy was applauded by delegates at the party's Scottish conference in Glenrothes, Fife, when he told them: "It's high time our troops began to come home, as simple as that."

(more)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4323050.stm

[Larkspur]

1. Send in Joe Lieberman to the rescue

I'm sure Joemomentum would catch on in Basra.

[Kagemusha]

2. They may be militia, but they're still Iraqis.

There's this cognitive dissonance which seems to say something to the effect of, militia = insurgents = foreigners. That's not so at all. They're brownshirts attached to political parties. There are Republicans and Democrats serving in American police departments too. This is not to conflate the two; it is to say, these are Basra natives; they exist in the real world. Dismissing them as if their existence is irrelevant and to be treated as a non-entity is a nice media fiction the Brits are maintaining here but, it's not helping them with the hearts and minds battle in the real world.

Because SCIRI runs the place (politically) and SCIRI's militiamen can be hardly expected NOT to serve in the police force. The longer the Brits are in denial about this, the worse it'll get.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. I don't think they are in denial.

This seems to be a continuation of a deliberate campaign to cause unrest in the Basra region. This undoubtedly secret campaign was glimpsed first with the massively odd and as yet completely unexplained SAS-in-mufti/jailhouse sacking earlier this year.

The obvious explanation is that unrest is required in order to justify continued British military presence in the strategic Basra area.

[Greeby]

3. BTW, Mr Kennedy is Charles, not Ted

Makes me glad I voted for their guy :patriot: <--------wish there was a Union Jack version of this