Blair to Announce UK Iraq Withdrawal Timetable

[ORAC]

BBC: Blair 'to confirm Iraq timetable'

Tony Blair is expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq.

The prime minister is due to make an announcement in the House of Commons on Wednesday in which he is expected clarify the details.

Mr Blair is expected to say hundreds of troops will return from Basra within weeks with more to follow later.

Some 7,000 UK troops are currently serving in Iraq and about 1,500 are expected to return within weeks.

[BEagle]

Has he asked Mad George for permission.....??

[viz]

Ahhh, call me cynical but I think I see the 'good' news which will bury the pay rise announcement. :D

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I hope he's thought through and planned this better than almost anything else he's done. Good news but not so good if it's an invitation for a Middle East type blood bath.

[The Gorilla]

Time for some training before going to Iran!:}

[DG101]

Presumably the WMDs have been found, so job done. :ok:

[cyclic gal]

Hope he doesn't tax them for the carbon emissions on the flight home........

[gar170]

I don't want to worry you all but did you hear that the UN has agreed to send forces to Somalia.
Make the most of your rest I think it could be the case of Same s*** different country

[gar170]

Just wait for all the anti AT threads that about to flood the sites:rolleyes: .
never mind you can all start the anti movers threads again:= .

[oldbeefer]

Seem to remember someone said 'the troops will be home by Christmas' in 1914!

[Lancelot37]

Just wait for all the anti AT threads that about to flood the sites:rolleyes: .
never mind you can all start the anti movers threads again:= .

Indeed! He is the clown of the decade.

Does anyone ever believe what Tony B. Liar says? He has made so many promises over the years and rarely do any come to fulfilment. He’s the original Plonker!

What happened to his quote "All of our troops will be out by Christmas 2006"? Did he forget what he had said? Never a mention of "I made a mistake".

The man has less creditability than Mickey Mouse.
It’s amazing how long he has managed to fool people.

[gar170]

1,600 troop reduction knowing this lot their orders to return will be sen in the same envalope as their P45's.
thanks lads now of you go.

[An Teallach]

Another non-announcement much trumpeted in advance. No numbers and no timetable. This 'announcement' has rather more to do with the expected shoeing in the English local, Scottish Parliamentary and Welsh Assembly elections in May than it has to do with any assessment of the security situation in Southern Iraq.

No real surprise that the spin started coming out of the ether on the day the Grauniad published an ICM poll showing the Tories with a lead large enough to form a majority, with reports of NuLabour backbenchers 'looking pale'.

As usual, "Tough it out Tone" is quite happy to lay Servicemen & womens' lives on the line; but as soon as there's a threat to his 'legacy' (leaving in May after a drubbing with his tail between his legs), he starts spinning and dissembling.

It doesn't really matter whether we stay for another 2 months or 20 years, Iraq will go to (or rather remain in) hell in a handcart when we leave.

[London Mil]

The word that springs to mind is "futile". Obviously we will not be able to tell for a number of years as to whether our incursion actually achieved anything. The cynic in me says not. I then look at the cost in human life (both military and civilian).

I just hope it was all worthwhile.

[nigegilb]

Couldn't help but notice the NATO request for more troops yet again the other day and that the Horn of Africa is in dire need of support. Labour and in particular Broon will rue the day they stuffed the military. We are going to need our forces more and more in the next few years but our Govt blew all the money on the NHS in particular non-productive posts. Oh well they will never learn, just as our troops will never rest. Just wonder who is going to stick around to do the job.

[An Teallach]

Let's see now. Had it not been for this non-announcement, what would have been top of the day's news agenda?

Not Police Question Blair Aide Again (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6381961.stm) perchance?

PM "hopes" to reduce troop numbers by 1600 on next rotation "if curcumstances allow." If I were sausage-side in the sandpit, I wouldn't be getting my hopes up.

[Two's in]

Good news for anyone who gets to come home early, but feel sorry for the last few thousand who will get "forgotten" in that hellhole by the Government and the ever fickle media.

[ZOFO]

I think that viz hit the nail on the head in his post, I shoud imagine that the pay rise will be forthcoming after this news. (I seem to remember being taught the "Bath Tub" effect many a moon ago. Bring the troops up, down and then up again), lets just wait and see.

[Low Flier]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/02/22/matt.gif

[startermotor]

1600 out of Iraq, 800 to go into Afghanistan and more required?????
You do the maths

[wokkameister]

Godspeed to all those that remain.
About time though, I was just thinking to myself the other day 'Gee the situation in Iraq has worked out well, must be time to bring the lads home'....then I woke up - It's an age thing

[Melchett01]

Great, 1600 troops out. Wonder how long exactly the remaining 5,500 will stay there being used as target practice at Basrah. Bet Tony isn't quite so quick to announce that. I give it another 5 years before the last man in Iraq can turn the light out.

Lancelot, your: He’s the original Plonker! brought a smile to my face. For some reason I automatically thought of Del Boy .... who would you trust most? Maybe Tony's family motto is "He Who Dares Rodney, He Who Dares" ("is quisnam praesumo rodney , is quisnam praesumo" for those of you who had a proper edumication and remember mottos in Latin!)

[London Mil]

.... and relax.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6388717.stm

Funny old world.................

[olddog]

Before the days of New Labour Spin (Deception) this would have been simply announced as a redeployment. Who do they think they are fooling? Unfortunately the answer is about 60% of the population who never link 2 pieces of news to see the real picture.

[bradfordboy]

According to Sky News this morning the government are to announce on Monday that they are sending an additional 1000 troops to Afghanistan.

BB

[startermotor]

Like i said yesterday, in this thread. It was so obvious

[Exrigger]

How many are going out to Iraq with the Prince's regiment? It sounds as if the ones coming back from Iraq are just being replaced by these guys and as has been alluded to here, the ones from Iraq will then just go to Afghanistan/Somalia or wherever Bush wants them.

[airborne_artist]

Thomas Withington, from the Centre for Defence Studies, explained that the south-west of Afghanistan was proving to be a "stubborn nut to crack".

And yet "Defence Secretary, [John] Reid said we could achieve success in Afghanistan's Helmand province "without a shot being fired". :ugh:

[Tigs2]

I am in total disbelief as to the utter contempt with which Bliar continues to treat his armed forces personnel and the general public. I listened to him at PM question time the other day go on for over 1hr about how great it was to bring the troops back, and at no time did he elude to the fact that the government were considering sending more troops to Afghanistan. He was wallowing in his moment of glory and continued to be economical with the truth. I have a feeling this low life is going to retire on his own terms, in a haze of glory, and he will never be held to account for the attrocities he has committed to the British General public and our military personnel.

[London Mil]

Why send a mere thousand when you have just brought home 1600?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6396001.stm

[South Bound]

And good to see that the excuse of countering the expected 'Spring Offensive' will see them arrive in the Summer.

:ugh:

[NURSE]

well 1400+ are going to afghanistan

[An Teallach]

The cycnic in me enjoyed Beau Bo D'Or (http://www.bbdo.co.uk/)'s take on this:

http://heady.co.uk/rm/iraq_afghanistan.jpg