PressCoverage

look everyone!! the Bush League, having alienated most of the globe against its citizens, is now turning on Britain for having the common sense to pull out ... what a sad, transparent, insecure cabal we have at Pennsylvania Ave.

White House Retaliates Against UK For Withdrawal: ‘British Forces Have Performed Poorly’ In Iraq


This week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he would reduce British presence in Iraq from 5,500 troops to 4,500 by Christmas. The Guardian reports today that Brown will cut “significantly more than the 1,000 announced yesterday” by next year.

In response to the withdrawal announcement, the White House has decided to slander Britain. The London Telegraph reports today that a senior White House official has revoked Britain’s status of being “the closest Bush ally“:

The White House official added that Britain would always be "the cornerstone" of US policy towards Europe but there was "a lot of unhappiness" about how British forces had performed in Basra and an acceptance that Mr Brown would pull the remaining 4,500 troops out of Iraq next year.

"Operationally, British forces have performed poorly in Basra," said the official. "Maybe it's best that they leave. Now we will have a clear field in southern Iraq." Another White House official described Mr Brown as "challenging" and far less close to the US than Mr Blair.

There has been a notable reduction in contact between Downing Street and the White House since Mr Blair left and US officials have remarked on how few British ministers have visited Washington in recent months.

When Britain’s future in Iraq was up for debate, however, the White House showered praise on the new Prime Minister. “I found a person who shares [my] vision and who understands the call,” President Bush said of Gordon Brown in July. “You’ve proved your worthiness as a leader, and I thank you for that.”

The White House has also praised the work of British troops. “[T]hey had made progress in southern Iraq,” said Vice President Cheney in February.

Stokes

Totally childish to now say they underperformed, whoever the official was. The rest of it just reflects the reality, that better relations with France and Germany make UK less important strategically at this time. Anyone know if there was any evidence they performed poorly? I had thought conditions in Basra were better than most of the country from pretty much the start of the war. Sounds more like a petty response to disappointment that they thought Brown would continue Blair's policy when he did not. There was evidently some anger on the US side that he was giving different versions of his plans depending on whether he was in London or Washington.

Real World

I've read on some blogs a couple of years ago that the Brits were letting a lot of things go in the south. But that's not to say they didn't perform well. The south is different than Anbar, and Baghdad though. The south almost doesn't need a presence to quell any insurgency as they are primarily Shia & are the majority. Anbar is predominantly Sunni, is the minority, and viewed the US as a threat to their survival. The Brits didn't really want to be police from what I read, and actually moved out of the urban area's a while ago. They kind of got out of the way a couple of years back as they thought they were more of a nusance than a help. Where the US is stationed is far more hectic, and complex. Bahgdad is mixed ethnicity, and Anbar was AQ/insurgency territory.

If I might add, it's an unnamed "white house official" and it's being reported on Thinkprogressive. Excuse me If I'll wait to see who the person is, or what the official statements are. I Googled and couldn't find any negative press save for TG.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Harry Boy

The UK:
They need the troops at home to keep an eye on their "Muslim Doctors"

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Harry Boy (Genius)

In The Absence Of Law And Order Society Will Surely Destroy Itself

Fogbuster

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This reads like an Onion story.


... with too much garlic on top.

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PressCoverage

ah yes... positive administration news is gospel, negative administration news is mere satire... i think we understand your goofy assessment...

anyhow, i suppose the Telegraph isn't worthy, according to RW... and this story has 'no legs' until the entirety of the american corporate media grabs hold... sorta like the Downingstreet Memo... we're still waiting for Fox News to mention one word on that smoking gun...

Fogbuster

"goofy assessment"??? Dude, I ain't the one who invented the Onion. Talk with your brethren at MSNBC. And please hold your blushing cheeks over some skepticism about this cranky report. Sounds like a plant to me. A big red herring floating on top of the borscht.


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PressCoverage

of course it does to you... the classic "it must be planted" deduction is the only way you're able to rationalize such unflattering news about your Bush League in that head of yours...

tell you what... when other media sources pick up on it and it's confirmed, will you promise to leave for a month?

QuiGon

Does that "alienation" include France, who recently elected the most pro-American leader they've had since Charles de Gaulle...?

Fogbuster

de Gaulle wasn't all that "pro-American"; he just acknowledged that the U.S. saved France's collaborative Vichy ass. But he wasn't insanely anti-American, either. He was... well, French.


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