The headline in today’s UK Telegraph indicates that President Bush and his top generals think they may have found a way out of Iraq that will save them face – they are hinting that they may actually withdraw troops – and one needs to read this to believe it – as punishment for the continued violence.[1]
The Telegraph report said: “…benchmarks would be set covering progress in the Iraqi military, police and economy that if missed would result in the imposition of "penalties" by Washington.” The report went on to say that these “…would include "changes in military strategy", which could mean troop cuts or redeployment within Iraq…”
It seems the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ are now scrambling to find ways out of the Iraq disaster. The UKs Tony Blair is hoping that the Iraqis can take over ‘security’ in the areas currently ‘held’ by the British so that British troops can be withdrawn. Blair is clearly hoping the talks currently being held in London with Iraqi government officials will lead to withdrawal sooner rather than later.[2]
ENDNOTE
[1] Oliver Poole and Damien McElroy, ‘America may penalise Iraq if it fails to stop the violence’, UK Telegraph, 23 October 2006. Available online: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LPKALVYJFMZKFQFIQMFSFFWAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2006/10/23/wirq23.xml Accessed 23 October 2006.
[2] Patrick Wintour and Michael Howard, ‘Blair gives Iraq 12 months to be ready for handover’, UK Guardian, 23 October 2003. Available online: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1929000,00.html Accessed 23 October 2006.
AUSTRALIANS AT WAR
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2 comments:
Damian,
I think this event
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061011/ts_nm/iraq_explosions_dc_2
which as far as I know went unreported in our media, is the cause of the US looking to withdraw.
Hundreds of US personnel are reported killed, with some websites listing the slain.
This event has had a great impact on support for the war. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end, of this dreadful "comma" in history.
Some reports are saying that as many as 300 American soldiers perished in the explosions at Camp Falcon. No wonder the mainstream media aren't full-on with this!
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=KHA20061022&articleId=3557
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