Nice to be back McGrath,

Only thing is you and quite a number of people posting here don't take anything that is said on its part or on its behalf at face value.

I would be interested in hearing the names and reading the statements of the public figures who claimed that it could all be sorted out rapidly - I certainly don't recall any.

The MNF troops were initially welcomed with open arms by the Iraqi population. By and large that good will still exists between the population in and around Basra and the British Forces. Just to put it into perspective the UK has more troops in Northern Ireland in aid to civil power for a population of around 500,000, than in Basra population around 2,500,000.