UK planned troop withdrawal from Iraq

Now Iraqis have taken Basra security lead can mean the British troops will have lesser roles to play. Maybe By announcing a withdrawal plan withdrawal plan, Tony Blair wanted to put an end to the British troop presence in Iraq as a preparation for the new PM not to have Iraq heavily in his/her agenda when he steps down. For the UK public, this can be a relief.

The withdrawal of the British forces should be carried without leaving a mess behind. British army still has the duty to train Iraqi forces even after combating forces leave.

UK withdrawal can be seen as an indication that security in Iraq is at two levels. There are areas needing more troops from the coalition forces, others need less. The British army happens to be in a less violent region where Shiaas are the majority and where there were relatively few cases of violence in comparison with where the US army is operating.

Its withdrawal won’t leave a vacuum if the Iraqi army becomes fully capable of defending areas where the British army has been operating.

This can also be an occasion for the Iraqis of all factions to work out how to make their country peaceful and to defend it. If the Iraqis as a whole can't live in peace among themselves, outside forces will step in, especially from Iran, one way or the other.

It remains to see how the USA will cope in Iraq when its principal ally (UK) completely withdraws its troops, in face of the mounting violence daily occurring, mainly in Baghdad.