Major USA & British Withdrawal from Iraq in 9 months?

While British ministers overtly declare that British forces will stay in Iraq as long as they are needed, the British cabinet has covertly drawn up plans to withdraw 2/3 of their current force level by Spring 2006, that is, just about 9 months away.

Guess who else is in the Coalition of the Withdrawing? Yes, the USA, which will also withdraw 2/3 of its Iraqi contingent.

In typical British formal prose, the secret withdrawal document was called Options for Future UK Force Posture in Iraq, and was marked Secret: UK Eyes Only.

When confronted by the press over the leaked document, British Defence Secretary John Reid replied that no decision has yet been made on the plans.

The British has also asked Australia to take over its role in southern Iraq. Its excuse is that it wants to consolidate its forces in Afghanistan. The British has around 8000 soldiers in Iraq and 1000 troops in Afghanistan. The Australians has about 500 troops as part of the Coalition of the Willing.

Wouldn’t it be the logical step for both, if the British were to consolidate its forces in Iraq by moving its smaller 1000 strong force from Afghanistan to southern Iraq. Besides Iraq is nearer to UK and the logistic would certainly be simplier, whilst Afghanistan is nearer to Australia, with the practicality and efficiency of logistic support for the Aussies. Therefore Australia should withdraw from Iraq and then, only if it wants to, participate in Afghanistan

But then again, the Brits know it’s far hotter in Iraq.

I wrote this piece last night. Today I am pleased to see Kim Beazley, Australia’s Opposition leader agreeing with my suggestion, that Australia should pull out of Iraq and send its troops to Afghanistan instead. He accused PM John Howard of ‘taking his eyes off the ball’ in Afghanistan by getting involved with the Iraqi mess, stating the terrorist threat has always been in Afghanistan (and we all know the US invaded Iraq for oil and Israeli interests, and not because of terrorism - the terrorists had only moved into, and took hold in Iraq after the US invaded that country and antagonised the locals).

Beazley pointed out that virtually every participating country, including that Mother of them all, the USA, has an exit strategy.

But PM Howard stated that there is no plan to increase the Australian military presence in Iraq, though he tap-danced around the issue of ruling out completely such a deployment, which means he may still do so. The majority of Australians are against further increases of Australian soldiers there.

As for the Iraqi interim government - do they know, does anyone in the Bush Administration bother or care, and would it matter?