Posted on 08/22/2007 6:22:45 PM PDT by blam
US general blames Britain for Basra crisis
By Thomas Harding and Toby Helm
Last Updated: 1:26am BST 23/08/2007
The first sign of serious tension between Gordon Brown and President George W Bush over Iraq have emerged as a senior US general said the withdrawal of British troops was creating a security crisis in the south of the country.
Gen Jack Keane, who is close to the White House and was the architect of the American troop "surge" in Baghdad this year, said the policy was helping to turn Basra into a city of "gangland warfare".
Gen Keane: British withdrawal is creating 'gangland warfare'
"I think what has happened is that they [the insurgents] know British numbers are going down and see the character of operations is changing," he told The Daily Telegraph.
"They sense it and have got the momentum going. That's what's happening. There is a power play but they know no one is going to interfere with them."
The remarks represent the first public questioning of British strategy by a senior US military official since Mr Brown became Prime Minister at the end of June.
Gen Keane said the situation had deteriorated to the point where military commanders had even considered using US forces to reinforce the dwindling British presence.
Privately, some US and British commanders believe that by backing the phased withdrawal and hinting that Afghanistan is a higher priority, Mr Brown is buoying up the morale of insurgents.
The Ministry of Defence said there were problems in Basra but claimed that the ability of Iraq's own security forces to confront them was improving.
Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, accused Mr Brown of ignoring the Iraq issue while soldiers were dying.
He said: ''Our forces deserve clear political leadership, which is singularly lacking at present while our troops are toiling in a very deadly and difficult situation.''
The number of British troops in Iraq has fallen from 7,200 at the start of this year to 5,500. This will drop to 5,000 by the beginning of next month.
The ghost of Patton is back.
Meanwhile the British surrender themselves everyday to Sharia law!
The results of the British withdrawal is exactly what will happen to all of Iraq if the Dimocraps get their way and force an early withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, only 100 times worse AND THEY KNOW IT. The only person standing in the way of world insanity is President Bush. Though I may disagree with his domestic policies at times, I cannot forget how much.....balls....it takes to stand there and take the personal attacks by his detractors and take it like a man while sticking to his principles and convictions.
Again, Americans will have to wipe the world’s hind end to save civilization. There’s no more honor left in the world. It’s been replaced by political power and greed.
Well Patton did believe in reincarnation.
‘Meanwhile the British surrender themselves everyday to Sharia law!’
No we don’t. And we don’t have open borders that allow any muslim who wants to just wander into our country. And we don’t have 2.1m african-american converts to islam as jihadis in waiting.
I guess it’s our fault America elected the Democrats into a majority in both of your houses knowing full well that meant surrender as quickly as possible is it? What kind of message do you think that sent to your allies?
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