"Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted that the withdrawal of British troops from the southern Iraqi city of Basra is not a defeat."
Premium Link Upgrade
"The 550 soldiers have handed Basra Palace over to Iraqi control and joined 5,000 UK troops at their last base, near Basra Airport, outside the city.
The Ministry of Defence said the handover of Basra province was now due in the autumn.
Mr Brown insisted the withdrawal was "pre-planned and organised" and said UK ****** would take an "overwatch" role.
This will mean troops cannot go out unless requested by Iraqi authorities, but they will still train and mentor Iraqi security ******.
The PM told the BBC's Today programme that the number of British troops in Iraq would remain roughly the same, and that they could "re-intervene" if necessary."
"British troops started pulling out of Basra Palace in southern Iraq on Sunday night, and the MoD confirmed the withdrawal was complete on Monday.
It added in a statement said: "Handing over Basra Palace to the Iraqi authorities has long been our intention, as we have stated publicly on numerous occasions."
Maj Mike Shearer, British spokesman in Basra, said a bugler from Four Rifles led the advance at 0100 local time."
"BBC correspondent Richard Galpin in Baghdad said this was a "highly symbolic moment, marking the end of Britain's physical military presence in any Iraqi city".
Over the past year British ****** have handed over control of three Iraqi southern provinces, with only Basra province remaining under their control."
also
Premium Link Upgrade
"The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British ***** from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi ****** are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British ***** left about 4:30 a.m.""
Premium Link Upgrade
- what does everyone think ?
- is this a step forwards or backwards ?
Premium Link Upgrade
"The 550 soldiers have handed Basra Palace over to Iraqi control and joined 5,000 UK troops at their last base, near Basra Airport, outside the city.
The Ministry of Defence said the handover of Basra province was now due in the autumn.
Mr Brown insisted the withdrawal was "pre-planned and organised" and said UK ****** would take an "overwatch" role.
This will mean troops cannot go out unless requested by Iraqi authorities, but they will still train and mentor Iraqi security ******.
The PM told the BBC's Today programme that the number of British troops in Iraq would remain roughly the same, and that they could "re-intervene" if necessary."
"British troops started pulling out of Basra Palace in southern Iraq on Sunday night, and the MoD confirmed the withdrawal was complete on Monday.
It added in a statement said: "Handing over Basra Palace to the Iraqi authorities has long been our intention, as we have stated publicly on numerous occasions."
Maj Mike Shearer, British spokesman in Basra, said a bugler from Four Rifles led the advance at 0100 local time."
"BBC correspondent Richard Galpin in Baghdad said this was a "highly symbolic moment, marking the end of Britain's physical military presence in any Iraqi city".
Over the past year British ****** have handed over control of three Iraqi southern provinces, with only Basra province remaining under their control."
also
Premium Link Upgrade
"The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British ***** from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi ****** are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British ***** left about 4:30 a.m.""
Premium Link Upgrade
- what does everyone think ?
- is this a step forwards or backwards ?
