Jul 08
13
BBC News |
Britain to pull out most Iraq troops
PRESS TV, Iran - 5 hours ago
The British government plans to withdraw the 'vast majority' of its soldiers from Iraq by the middle of 2009, a new report has revealed. ...
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Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup
The British government plans to withdraw the 'vast majority' of its soldiers from Iraq by the middle of 2009, a new report has revealed. British Sunday Times daily quoted unnamed defense sources as saying on Sunday that government is expected to do so 'in the first half of 2009'. They added that only Britain's special forces and troops who are engaged in training Iraqi military or police forces may not leave the country. Also on Sunday, Head of the British Armed Forces Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup said that London will pull out its soldiers from Iraq during 2009, AP reported. "I would expect us to see further substantial progress towards a more sustainable tempo in the course of the next year,'' Stirrup said referring to the withdrawal but without mentioning the number of the troops to be pulled out. The move is aimed to help reduce the military problems which have been caused by its presence both in Iraq and Afghanistan, he explained, adding the British military does not have the capacity to keep soldiers in both fronts. In a clear sign of the country's reluctance to stay in Iraq, British secretary of defense Des Browne said last week that Iraqi troops have proven to be better able to keep peace in southern Iraq. If we had tried to control the situation in Basra and other southern cities 'we would still be fighting', Browne told the Brookings Institution in Washington.
