Middle East Features
In photos: 'Basra Fighting'
By M&C News Mar 27, 2008, 18:29 GMT
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y John Bingham and James Tapsfield
BRITISH forces remained firmly out of the fray yesterday as fierce clashes with Shia militias in Basra raged for a second day.
Forty people were confirmed dead in the city and 200 wounded after Iraqi security forces launched a major operation to suppress militant groups vying for control.
But with the epicentre of the fighting just a few miles from where the bulk of the UK's remaining 4,100 troops in southern Iraq are garrisoned, British commanders insisted it was 'highly unlikely' they would get directly involved.
Recently Jack Keane, a retired US general and a leading supporter of the American 'surge' in Iraq, yesterday urged Britain to increase its troop strength instead of cutting it. Britain hopes to cut troop numbers from 4,000 to 2,500.
But Major Tom Holloway, the UK military spokesman in Iraq, said: 'The Iraqi authorities have planned and are executing the operation. It is very much their business.' The British role was to support them after handing provincial control to the Iraqis in December 2007, he said.
British jets operating out of Basra Airport, the last British garrison in the country, have continued to provide air cover for Iraqi forces. And Iraqi helicopters have made repeated stops at the British camp to refuel and resupply.
But with the operation expected to last at least two to three more days, UK ground troops remain at the camp in the first big test of the 'hands off' approach after the transfer of power.
' Good work UK, thanks for leaving us the problem that you helped create '
Yes , before the UK showed up Iraq was full of peace love and brotherhood , like the rest of the world .
Not much shooting going to be done by that militia...those photos are staged, as the safeties on both rifles are ON.
That's funny pitbull!
I have seen entire staged videos of brave iraqi insurgents 'attacking' US patrols where the rag tag militia just stands in street firing from hip for several minutes without moving or taking cover.
As if they could: 1. actually hit anything; 2. survive withering return fire.
Anyway, the twits gobble it up as proof of the brave freedom fighters.
Nicely put Charles........... propoganda to feed the aching hearts and hungry minds? Anyone remember the Iraqi Foreign Minister quotes when the whole thing kicked off? rofl.....
I am afraid that the trigger happy Iraqi police and Army would have stopped any celebration of an attack on the Iraqi police vehicles.....and yeah....oh wait.....coalition forces would not have had 'eyes on' on a recent area where coalition forces or police had been attacked? Nice 50 Cal and L96 cross hairs all over that vehicle from distance.......unless it was days ago of course.....by the way the vehicle looks it was probably weeks before.........shame huh?
Its a pity that we dont plant IED's or similar on the areas of attack......how does that song go? Click Click....Boom!
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UK is the new France.Mar 27th, 2008 - 23:36:57
Good work UK, thanks for leaving us the problem that you helped create.
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