Iraq - Honest, We Left 'Cos We Wanted To

At least that's what the British are saying. Right here, f'rinstance:

"By the end of August, there will be no presence for British forces at the palace or at the joint coordination center. Both will be in the hands of the Iraqi government," says the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. "I think it's best if they leave, because they did nothing to stop the militias, which were formed in the womb of their occupation." A spokesman for the British military in Basra confirmed that a small force left the Provincial Joint Coordination Center (PJCC), site of a British-Iraqi security task force, Saturday.

[...]

Unlike their US counterparts elsewhere in Iraq, British forces have been gradually trimming their presence in the south since May 2003, when they numbered 18,000.

Steve Gilliard would've made it all so clear. I can't fill his shoes. But basically what this means is, the British are out of Basra. Either the U.S will have to send military reinforcements there, or our supply lines and retreat pathway (out of Kuwait) are totally fucked. If your kids/family are there, please, please, please to God, beat your Congresscritter senseless till they agree to bring your family out. It is not good. Not good at all.

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