Iraq: More nations plan pull-out

[milmor_1]

Is this the start of the breakup of the Coalition of the willing?

Iraq: More nations plan pull-out
By Anne Penketh
Published: 22 February 2007
Denmark announced that it would withdraw its ground troops serving under British command in Basra, as other countries review their participation in the coalition force.

Lithuania, which has 53 soldiers in Iraq serving alongside the Danish battalion, also said it was considering a pull-out.

The Romanian Defence Minister said that Bucharest would take a decision on the presence of its 600 soldiers in Iraq, mostly serving under British command, in the next few days. But President Traian Basescu, who is also under pressure to announce a withdrawal timetable, warned that a hasty pull-out of the international coalition forces "would cause chaos and the division of Iraq".

Poland has already announced that it will bring home its 900 troops by the end of the year, and Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Japan and New Zealand have already withdrawn their troops.

South Korea, which has a contingent of 2,300 troops in the northern city of Arbil, intends to withdraw half by April, and its parliament is calling for a complete pull-out by the end of the year.

Australia said yesterday that it would keep 1,400 soldiers in and around Iraq, while the Bulgarian parliament voted to keep its 155 troops beyond the expiry of their current mandate next month.

Independent Online Edition > World Politics

[BrianK]

The question posed.

Is this the start of the breakup of the Coalition of the willing?


Another question.

Could it be that the surge buildup is based on prior knowledge of planned troop reduction by other countries?

Either question gives a good indication of what the public knows about the internal workings of military planning.

What we do know or are learning is some are leaving and we are filling up vacated spaces.

[milmor_1]

Excellent point Brian and a very valid perception, and on that basis a connection may be drawn to Afghanistan with the increase of troops going on there.

I dont believe the answer will be forthcoming in the near future.

My biggest fear is that the USA will be perceived as standing alone against the rise of Muslim extremist/fundamentalist terrorists

[milmor_1]

This article on the deployment of extra troops to afghanistan is a prime example of ongoing military strategy and planning


'1,000 more troops' heading for Afghanistan
By Gavin Cordon, PA Whitehall Editor
Published: 23 February 2007

The Government is preparing to announce the deployment of hundreds more British troops to Afghanistan in readiness for an expected Taliban offensive.

The Defence Secretary Des Browne is expected to make a Commons statement on Monday setting out details of the new deployment to reinforce the British taskforce in the troubled southern province of Helmand.

More than 1,000 extra troops - together with additional equipment - will be sent, according to one report.

The details apparently leaked out after Mr Browne briefed the weekly meeting of the Cabinet at No 10 yesterday.

It follows the announcement this week that the British force in Iraq is to be reduced by 1,600 troops, easing the pressure on the Army.

Nato commanders have been complaining for months that they do not have enough troops to inflict a decisive defeat on the Taliban.

One senior officer privately described it as a "Cinderella" operation, compared to Iraq.

The alliance currently has some 35,000 troops in the country, including 5,600 British troops, mainly deployed in Helmand.

However there has been deep frustration within the alliance that the brunt of the fighting has been borne by troops from just a few countries - notably Britain, the United States and Canada.

There has been particular criticism of countries such as France and Germany which have restricted their troops to operations in the more peaceful areas of the country.

In November, Tony Blair and President George Bush issued an appeal at the Nato summit in Riga for other member states to send troops to join the fighting.

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said it was clear that their calls had fallen on deaf ears.

"Those troops should be coming from countries such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain who have so far not shown the adequate resolve to be part of a full Nato complement in Afghanistan," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"We have now had three reinforcements since the time that (then Defence Secretary) John Reid told us we were not going to be under-deployed in Afghanistan.

"It is clear that the Government has failed to get our Nato allies to carry their share of the burden in Afghanistan.

"Too many of our European partners are now pocketing the Nato security guarantee but leaving UK taxpayers and the UK military to carry the cost.

"It is clear now that our Army is so over-stretched we can't carry two conflicts. We were told initially that there were no plans to reduce troops in Iraq to reinforce in Afghanistan.

"We now know the Government is not only incompetent but fundamentally dishonest."

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics

[BrianK]

Several key statements in that article.


[The details apparently leaked out after Mr Browne briefed the weekly meeting of the Cabinet at No 10 yesterday]

[Those troops should be coming from countries such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain who have so far not shown the adequate resolve to be part of a full Nato complement ]

[Too many of our European partners are now pocketing the Nato security guarantee but leaving UK taxpayers and the UK military to carry the cost.]

["We now know the Government is not only incompetent but fundamentally dishonest." ]


No explanation of why promised NATO forces aren't in it. The concern rightfully so of the cost being borne by the UK & America while the rest of the world looks on.

The willing are questioning their own commitment with good reason. The crux of the whole thing is religious freedom. What happens to democracy based socities if radical islam succeeds?

The leadership in NATO isn't asking that question and quite frankly doesn't seem to care. It's more about "ME" now & to hell with the future. My take on that comes from the cost being a major concern now.

[Caldric]

Sounds like the UK is trying to make it at least easier on the US by sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Even so many Americans will be thinking "thanks guys for leaving us with our pants around our ankles." Many may not voice it or even hint to it but it is there in the mind that states we can't count on anyone. Unjust thinking or not it is a human condition and it will remain for sometime.

[BrianK]

This situation reminds me of how religion made a differance at Kraft Foods.

Kraft used to pay a Christmas bonus equal to a weeks pay for full time & half that for part time employee. At a company meeting some of the born again Christians voiced a complaint about gifts and the wording in cards that came with the bonus.

You guessed it. Kraft stopped offending people.

I'd like to see any & all aid financial or otherwise to those that aren't willing to defend democracy be stopped.


I think what we are seeing is the truth of the saying. "You Can't Buy Friends" . Given that as a truth then every cent not used to buy friends should be used to reduce our national debt. The UK could benefit too I believe if they adopted that as a policy.