UK papers: Blair’s successor expected to accelerate pullout from Iraq
posted at 9:50 pm on May 19, 2007 by Allahpundit
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And in so doing, he’ll speed the disintegration of Basra while giving Democrats more leverage to force an American pullout.
[Bush] has been briefed by White House officials to expect an announcement on British troop withdrawals from Mr Brown during his first 100 days in power. It would be designed to boost the new prime minister’s popularity in the opinion polls…
One senior official said: “There is a sense of foreboding. We don’t know if he will be there when we need him. We expect a gesture that will greatly weaken the United States government’s position.”…
President Bush’s aides fear that Mr Brown will boost Democrats’ demands for a timetable for a US pullout from Iraq and encourage wavering Republicans to defect - leaving the President more isolated.
Brown’s people are denying it but John Kerry thinks Brown will at least be good for a compromise that would cut off funding if the Iraqi government doesn’t meet its benchmarks.
The Times of London also expects British forces to be scaled down to a “token force,” with predictable consequences if a U.S. withdrawal follows:
Baghdad will become an open battleground between Shia and Sunni fighters with civilians the hardest hit. The weak central government would probably fracture, the police force defect en masse to the militias and the fledgeling army face collapse.
Iraqi political groups are already anticipating the move. “If the Americans left we would probably take over Baghdad in a month,” predicted one senior member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, one of the two main Shia groups. “Saddam managed to put down the Shia uprising in 1991 in a month. If we use the same tactics we will get the same results.”
Given the fact that Bush only has until September to show results, “nothing short of divine intervention could deliver a victory in that short period,” declares the Times.
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Criminy.
I’ve had enough “good news” for one week, I think.
Slublog on May 19, 2007 at 9:52 PM
Think Sarkozy will send troops?
crosspatch on May 19, 2007 at 9:59 PM
Relevant and important posts from Gates of Vienna:
Conversations With Fjordman
There Will Always Be An England… Not
INC on May 19, 2007 at 10:02 PM
I don’t know, do we need accordions?
- The Cat
P.S. I guess I should not make fun of the French or what others have said of them until I see if their actions, or rather the french public’s responce is the it’s new leaders actions.
MirCat on May 19, 2007 at 10:22 PM
Good. Here’s an idea, let’s get out before the Brits and leave the Brits to pick up the trash… that’ll make em good n’ mad. Who cares if they’re mad if we bail from Iraq before they do. According to “The solicitor and philanthropist Lord Andrew Phillips” of the Brit Parliment, “To Hell With The Americans, frankly…!”
No worries about Boosh’s, and our Congress’, complete and utter failure in Iraq though. He’s freeing 12,000,000+ illegal immigrants from the bonds of being criminals. That’s his back-up legacy, you know, just in case things in Iraq didn’t go so well.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot since they haven’t talked about it due to there being nothing to talk about regarding the subject. Osama bin Laden, yeah, remember him Presidente’ Boosh? I didn’t think so.
SilverStar830 on May 19, 2007 at 10:27 PM
It’s not as if the Brits sent many troops or lost many men or did much good.
I appreciated their standing with us, after 9/11, at least in the form of Blair and the military, but the rest of England was obstructionist, anti-American, and militarily useless in this fight.
At home (coddling jihadists) and in Iraq (marking time and bailing).
They’ll get more Islam not matter how much they retreat.
As we will.
Mohammadism is on the march.
And it wont take maybe for an answer.
profitsbeard on May 20, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Charisma - out
Courage - out
Cojones - out
Reliability - out
Wussitude - in
Entelechy on May 20, 2007 at 12:31 AM
Believe me. Gordon Brown and John Kerry are twins.
Connie on May 20, 2007 at 2:55 AM
Gordon Brown is one of George Soros’s biggest fans. Not good, folks. Not good at all.
Connie on May 20, 2007 at 2:57 AM
It was pure luck that Blair had the stones to stand with us. Labour, new or otherwise, in Britain is anti-American, and now with Brown that will be the template. The “conservatives” there have lost their balls and their bearings, so unless a miracle happens, our alliance with the Brits is down the tubes. The tug of the EU (also vehemently anti-American, and Blair’s biggest mistake) will accelerate this.
Halley on May 20, 2007 at 4:11 AM
Am I hearing correctly? Has the earth’s orbit tilted slightly? Are all the galaxies lined up in single file?
According to news reports the new French President has all the makings of being a friend to America and the new British Prime Minister will have it in for us?
How ironic. The last time that happened the American people were in the midst of a Revolution. Some might say we’re on the cusp of another Revolution, but for a different reason and against a different enemy. The reason is betrayal within and the enemy is us.
fogw on May 20, 2007 at 10:16 AM