BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal

Subject: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: GUEST,Norman Winstanley
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:30 PM

BBC breaking news
The head of the British Army has said the presence of UK armed forces in Iraq "exacerbates the security problems".

In an interview in the Daily Mail, Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, is quoted as saying the British should "get out some time soon".

He also said: "Let's face it, the military campaign we fought in 2003, effectively kicked the door in."

Sir Richard added that any initial tolerance "has largely turned to intolerance. That is a fact."

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Peace
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:36 PM

Bush also should withdraw, as his father should have.

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:55 PM

All rapists should withdraw, according to the law...

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 05:57 PM

I am a serving member of the armed forces and a para with 16 air assault bde. there is truth behind the comments that he made. While out in Afghan my unit on several occasions had to rely on the Americans because the UK has not enough aircraft in theatre. It is a known fact that there are more helicopters in N.Ireland than Afghan. Speaking to those that were in Iraq, the honey moon between us and the Iraqi people is long over.

If we were ever going to be succesfull in this sort of conflict. our soldiers needed more than canvas, carbines and courage.

I doubt Bush will allow Blair to take our boys out of Iraq.

Keith, lincoln

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 06:25 PM

There are currently more than 7,000 British soldiers in Iraq, based largely in Basra in the south of the country.

The difficulties the British are experiencing round the world is caused by their presence in Iraq. Any initial tolerance has largely turned to intolerance.

It's a Muslim country and Muslims' views of foreigners in their country are quite clear. As a foreigner, you can be welcomed by being invited in a country, but the British weren't invited, certainly not by those in Iraq at the moment.

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Les from Hull
Date: 12 Oct 06 - 06:52 PM

article here

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Wolfgang
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 02:11 PM

All rapists should withdraw, according to the law...

They all actually do, sooner or later, rapist or not, but why do you need a law for that?

Wolfgang (running)

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: akenaton
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 05:29 PM

Sir Richard Dannat turns out to be a complete prick, running right to form for a UK general.

Interviewed this morning by the BBC regarding his Daily Mail article yesterday, he wriggled and twisted, contradicting almost everything he had said.

Presumably he had been given a "good seeing to" by the Defence ministry overnight, and the general folded like a wet tissue.

Apparently he now supports completely the UK government stance on Iraq.
Sir Richard is rumoured to be a "very serious christian", who see's Islam as a great danger to Western civilisation.

Bet Tony's got some very expensive honour lined up for the bastard....Ake

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:35 PM

General Sir Richard Dannatt said troops should leave "sometime soon" because they were exacerbating the security situation.

There is almost zero trust between the two sides. The British troops operate as an occupying force; not as troops supporting our own forces.

Until now there has been no meaningful co-operation between British troops and the local government that I can see. They work according to their own thinking and policy.

Even if they are trying to consult the local government, they are the ones steering the situation, both on a sectarian level and on security issues.

I'm not saying they should take their orders from local politicians, but they should co-operate in a meaningful way.

At the beginning it wasn't so bad, but now there is almost zero trust between the two sides.

They drive through the streets of town without knowing who the local government officers are, they don't know where they are going or what they're doing.

They raid so many houses and arrest so many people and the government knows nothing about it beforehand. So we don't trust them.

They should announce a timetable for their departure. I believe Basra is ready for the troops to leave now.Most of the people here in Basra are hoping the British soldiers will leave.There should be a timetable for the departure of UK troops.

Democracy is something that's missing in Iraq. People don't understand what that means. If you want democracy you have to educate people - and then you can apply it.

If they work towards leaving a year from now that would be good. Otherwise they will be staying here for many years.

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 07:48 PM

Well, if your government tells its soldiers that they were sent there to establish democracy, I think your government is lying to its soldiers. (Just my opinion.)

I think British and American soldiers were sent there to establish dominion and control of Iraq's oil fields.

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 08:27 PM

A government lying to its troops? Next you'll say it lies to the voters. Have ye no faith?

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Oct 06 - 08:38 PM

LOL! Yeah...

I have faith in myself...and a handful of good people I've known personally in this life.

Subject: RE: BS: General seeks UK Iraq withdrawal
From: Ron Davies
Date: 14 Oct 06 - 12:50 PM

Ake--

So he backtracked--it took courage to say what he did the first time--especially since he's not a retired general. Which do you think he really believes? I'd say it's pretty obvious.

Give the man some credit.

From the WSJ today 14 Oct: "Britain buzzed with talk that the top general's criticism of Iraq policy has shown Blair to be yesterday's man".

It's pretty plain that when Brown takes over there will be no more rubber-stamping of Bush's Iraq policy by the UK. He has said as much.