British Look to Reduce Iraq Forces

Recent reports from Iraq indicate that military forces from the United States are preparing to take over security operations in the southern Iraqi city of Basra from departing British soldiers. Basra, Iraq's second largest city behind Baghdad, was the site of a recent massive Iraqi offensive designed to root out criminals and insurgents that had taken control of the city after British forces confined themselves to a nearby airfield.

Gordon Brown, the successor to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, an Iraq war advocate and Bush ally, has long advocated a reduction in British forces in Iraq, a position that contrasts sharply with that of his predecessor. The United Kingdom has been considering recently the possibility of sending additional forces to fight the Taliban and remnants of al Qaeda in Afghanistan in response to a rapidly deteriorating security situation in that country. NATO member countries have consistently fallen short in promised troop contributions for Afghanistan.

British forces have long been responsible for Basra, considered a vital oil city and crucial to the future of Iraq, and have from time to time been criticized for their handling of security operations in the south of Iraq. British officials have promised troop reductions in the past, only to have those plans delayed or abandoned at times due to a decrease in the security conditions on the ground. Britain currently has just over 4,000 soldiers in Iraq.

A shift of responsibility from British to American forces could be seen as a setback for fledgling Iraqi forces, which ultimately hold the key to a secure future for Iraq. While Iraqi forces continue to be trained and equipped by American training teams, they still have a long way to go. The offensive in Basra, launched several months ago, was quickly executed and caught American officials in Iraq by surprise. When the offensive faltered, American forces had to be rushed to Basra to keep the Iraqi security forces from being defeated by the criminal and insurgent elements that controlled the city.

It is also unclear where additional American forces for Basra would come from. The last of President Bush's surge forces have redeployed from Iraq, and General David Petraeus, who is responsible for all coalition operations in Iraq, is expected to recommend additional troop draw downs as early as next month.

Other coalition nations like Poland and Australia, are also planning to reduce their forces in Iraq, while Georgian forces quickly departed the country to face Russian forces that had entered their homeland in the Caucasus.