The British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to take a U-turn in its war policy towards Iraq. BBC has reported that he is likely to announce a schedule for UK troops’ withdrawal from Iraq.
Presently, at least 7,000 UK troops are serving in Iraq. According to the report, Blair is ready to make a statement in the House of Commons regarding the 7,000 British troops serving in Iraq. It is being said that he would call 1,500 troops back to the country in months.
The Prime Minister’s office has not yet confirmed the reports. However, the Whitehall sources have made it confirm that the process could slow down because of ongoing situation in Iraq.
On the other hand, some media reports has published the report that Britain’s 7,100 troops will be withdrawn completely from Iraq by the end of next year.
The comeback plan is only for the British troops that remain in Iraq and based outside Basra. Blair’s meeting with Bush on Tuesday is being observed as a final parting of the ways in the Iraq war’s strongest alliance.
Blair has given the sign to call British troops back when some 21,500 more US troops are being sent to Iraq by Bush administration.
Later, the White House administration has confirmed that Bush and Blair had a long discussion on their war policies towards Iraq.
A White House spokesman said;
The UK has kept a full-bodied force in southern Iraq and the conditions in Basra have improved sufficiently. Now, the troops are planning to transition more control to the Iraqis.
Now, the big question is that should UK withdraw its forces from iraq? The US is trying hard to turn responsibility to the Iraqi Security Forces but the ongoing violence has derailed its plans.
On Wednesday, Blair had told the BBC’s Sunday AM that the operation Operation Sinbad had been completed successfully. There was progress in reconstruction process in Basra, Later he had said that he did not want British troops to get in the way of that progress.
Sir Menzies Campbell, Liberal Democrat leader said that if these reports are true, a reduction in British forces in Iraq is to be welcomed. But I still believe we should have a target for the withdrawal of all British troops by the end of October this year.
According to BBC reports, at least 132 British Armed Forces personnel have been died while serving in Iraq since March 2003.
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