Private Richard Partridge on patrol in Iraq.
While in Basra she stayed with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, also known as the Poachers.
"I'm not sure what I thought I'd find when I got to Basra, but a eerie silence wasn't it.
Before flying in on the RAF Hercules aircraft, I had to don full body armour and helmet, which did nothing to quash a mounting fear and the question of why I had decided to come here.
The war-torn city had such a reputation for being a hotbed of militia activity, I was fully expecting to hear bullets zipping past my head, or the distant sound of bombs peppering the night air.
Instead, I was greeted with a quiet calm and soldiers who seemed almost bored of the back seat role they play to Iraqi troops.
The UK force's main job in the city and its surrounding provinces, is to act as mentors for the Iraqi Army, with a lot of time spent advising Iraqi forces on conducting operations and training their troops.
The Poachers have completed five months of a six-month tour, which began shortly after the British forces handed over control of Basra in April this year to the Iraqi Army."
At a time of international economic fragility any attack on the sea terminals would lead to a potentially crippling rise in oil prices.
With two per cent of the world’s oil going through the terminals and security for area was branded “extremely important to the global economy" byd Commander Rory Bryan, captain of the frigate HMS Lancaster.
“They are clearly a tempting target for violent extremists and need to be protected," he said. "We are here to make sure their integrity remains safe.”
More than 2.4 million barrels a day flow out of the platforms in the Arabian Gulf and into the super tankers queuing up nose-to-tail surrounded by a flotilla of six warships on 24 hour readiness to intercept attackers.
The 10 square miles of water around the Al Basra and Khawr Al Amaya oil platforms, essentially huge petrol stations at sea, are the most protected waters in the world.
Read the full article on Telegraph.co.ukDEFENCE Secretary John Hutton was today out on patrol on the dangerous streets of downtown Basra to see for himself the risk to British troops on the frontline in Southern Iraq.
The Barrow and Furness MP was with squaddies in a six-wheeled Mastiff armoured car as they did their job in the city.
Mr Hutton arrived at the main British troop base at Basra Airport on the outskirts of the city early this morning after meeting Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al Maliki, and his Defence Chief General, Abdul Qadir, in the capital Baghdad yesterday.
Mr Hutton has signalled there would be a “fundamental change” in Britain’s role in Iraq early next year, adding that “significant progress” had been made in Iraq in recent months and security was improving across the country.
Read the full article on The North West Evening Mail here
BASRA, Iraq — The Iraqi police force is a work in progress — the weak point in Iraq's domestic security — but it's stronger now than it was two years ago as the U.S. struggles to whip it into shape.
FOX News spent two days at a Basra police station, an island of quiet on a Saturday afternoon. No phones rang because there was no phone line, and at 2 p.m. most of the officers were napping. Out of five patrol cars, only one works — and that one needs a push.
See the full report on Fox news here
American military disengagement from Iraq continued yesterday with the transfer of Babil to local control.
That achievement, in a province whose northern district was known as "the triangle of death", was in part due to the Awakening Councils, Sunni militias who turned against the foreign jihadists.
Their formation and the surge in American troop deployment mean that 12 out of the country's 18 provinces are now under Baghdad's command, with Wasit expected to follow shortly.
Read the full article on the Telegraph.co.uk
This year's Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal has been officially launched in Basra.
The Royal British Legion has launched the Poppy Appeal from Basra.
Visitors enjoy the rides at the Al Andalous fun fair in Basra, Iraq. Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown has indicated that the number of UK troops could be scaled down - especially as the security situation in the south of the country continues to improve.
By Will Ockendon, Northants Evening Telegraph
Analysis
That number is now down to 4,100 and could decrease even further next year, according to the prime minister.
Gordon Brown's words "a fundamental change of mission" mean a dramatic scaling down of Britain's troops in southern Iraq from early next year.
It may not be a complete withdrawal, but more than five years since the invasion, it is at last looking possible that British troops could leave Basra - and leave behind them a functioning place.
For the full story click here for the BBC News website
By Paul BradleyA NEW type of heroism is taking a stranglehold of Midlands troops based in Southern Iraq.
More than five years ago the First Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was part of the first battlegroup to successfully enter and take control of Basra City.
Frequent firefights and tactical manoeuvres was the order of the day back then, but now the battle landscape has dramatically changed – and the role of our troops has transformed significantly.
Today the First Fusiliers, who are heavily recruited from Birmingham and Warwickshire, are providing much needed security for the 4,000 British troops based in the Contingency Operating Base at Basra International Airport.
And the Battalion’s patrols of the provinces’s marshland villages has all but stopped the insurgent rocket attacks that was paralysing the army base as recently as May.
Add to this the mentoring role the Fusiliers play on the extremely sensitive Iran border at Shalamcheh and it soon becomes clear exactly how much of an effect our soldiers are continuing to have in the war torn country.
Their resilience and determination in the face of some of the toughest conditions is impressive on it’s own but take a step back and look at the bigger picture and the effect becomes even more dramatic.
Workers from the Basra Reconstruction Committee are now able to enter the city without the support of the Fusiliers and their trade mark Warrior fighting vehicles.
This was unthinkable before the Fusiliers arrived.
Read the full story on the Birmingham Mail website here-2008-147-0102.jpg)
150 Iraqi troops are training to become Commandos under the watchful eyes of soldiers from the Poachers. The training being undertaken by the Commando Company is more physically demanding than infantry training and goes further to instill the sense of teamwork essential in any military force.
The Baltimore Sun, Day in Pictures
HEARTS are pumping as the Black Hawk helicopter races through the night over Iraq.
DEFENCE Secretary John Hutton surprised a Furness squaddie by dropping in to see him in Iraq.-2008-136-0018.jpg)
The work of Northamptonshire's soldiers, who have been in Basra to mentor, train and advise the Iraqi army, will provide an "enduring legacy" in the war-torn country.
The Defence Secretary John Hutton visited downtown During the visit to Basra he commented:
“As my first time in
“It is clear the support of our forces and our role in training the Iraqi Army has been critical in achieving these improvements. Now, we want to focus on training and education to get us closer to our aim of passing full control to the Iraqi authorities."
“We are getting closer to achieving this goal and I hope we can reach the point when we can consider a significant change to our mission here next year."
Defence Secretary John Hutton has signalled there will be a "fundamental change" in Britain's role in Iraq early next year as he made his first visit to Baghdad.
The future of British forces in Iraq could be decided by the end of this year.
Bill Rammell is in Iraq this week, on his first Ministerial visit overseas since taking up his position as Minister to the Middle East last week. His visit follows earlier trips to the region this year by the Foreign Secretary David Miliband in April and Prime Minister Gordon Brown in July. This visit is an opportunity for Bill Rammell to meet leaders from Iraq's main communities and discuss a wide range of issues affecting both the UK and Iraq. Focus will be given to the present situation in the region and the building of a long term and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.
A few days into his visit Bill Rammell commented on the hard work and dedication of HMG staff based in Iraq and the progress being made in the region. He said
`I am really pleased to visit Iraq within my first 10 days in post. Despite ongoing challenges I'm very impressed by the progress being made in Iraq.
To read the full article on the Isria website click here.
The Washington Times ran a picture of Maj. Callum Lane as he glances down the street during a joint foot patrol with the Iraqi army in Basra, Iraq, on Wednesday. The economic crisis has tightened the Pentagon's defense budget.
Speaking to Pentagon reporters via teleconference, Salmon cited low levels of violence, on par with crime and murder rates in Manchester, England, and lower on a per-capita basis than in Washington.
“Overall, there seems to be a spirit of reconciliation and peace in the air here in Basra,” he said. “That’s really constant.”
People express confidence in the Iraqi security forces, who have reciprocated in their approach to the local population, Salmon said. He noted that during the recent Ramadan observance, the security forces sponsored feasts in some of the most socially deprived parts of town.
Meanwhile, other parts of the city hosted a huge Eid celebration to mark the end of Ramadan.
“It was the first time in three years that people were downtown in restaurants, dancing, singing into the early hours with the music and really celebrating with fireworks the festival of Eid,” Salmon said.
The celebrations represent a broader sense of calm in Basra, thanks to “a truly joint coalition effort there” and increasingly capable Iraqi security forces, he said.
By Paul BradleyBefore I left I thought the army was engaged in frequent firefights with the enemy.
But since arriving here I have found they have only been in one or two and the base hasn’t been attacked since the beginning of September. There is still a job to be done here by the Fusiliers though, many of them from Birmingham and the West Midlands.
A lot of the time they are waiting to support other operations or to be called out on strikes that target specific threats. The soldiers will tell you they’re bored and counting down the days until they can go home. It’s totally understandable.
They haven’t seen their young children, wives, mums, dads, brothers and sisters for more than four months. The last time they went for a beer with their mates was before they came out on tour in May.
In hot, dusty conditions the soldiers crave a break and a bit of downtime as they are deprived of sleep for up to 36 hours at a time.
They are trained to deal with it but it quite obviously takes its toll by the look on their faces.
But spirits are still high in Basra.
To read more about life in Basra on the Birmingham Mail website click here
British commanders in the southern Iraqi port city of Basra hailed the improved security situation as Baghdad said Monday they are no longer needed there. In an interview with the Times of London published Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said British troops were not needed for security purposes in the south of the country.
"Definitely, the presence of this number of British soldiers is no longer necessary. We thank them for the role they have played, but I think that their stay is not necessary for maintaining security and control," he said.
Meanwhile, British Maj. Gen Andy Salmon praised the Iraqi people and an Iraqi assault in March called Charge of the Knights with bringing security to the port city, the British Ministry of Defense said.
For the full article in the Middle East Times click here
-2008-143-0077.jpg)
SCOTTISH and Iraqi troops have delivered much-needed equipment to three schools in the Abu Al Kasib region of Basra. British-funded generators, computers and water coolers were delivered by soldiers of 4th Battalion, the Highlanders, the Royal Regiment of Scotland along with 50th Brigade, of the Iraqi army, who they are currently mentoring.
To read the full article on the Press & Journal website click here
A local company has wrapped up the first stage in a project to improve electricity energy efficiency in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, an official statement said.
“The project has been referred by the reconstruction and services committee in Basra and will be financed through the $100 million grant allocated by the prime minister for the province,” according to a statement released by the Iraqi cabinet’s national center for media and received by Aswat al-Iraq.
To read the full article on Aswat al-Iraq click hereASK the average man on the street about Iraq and he will tell you about kidnapping, suicide bombers and terrorism.
Talk to him for a little longer and he might bring up the tyrant Saddam Hussein, weapons of mass destruction and America’s war for oil.
But rarely are our country’s troops given more than an afterthought as they continue to carry out orders in basic living conditions and soaring temperatures in one of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.
Click here to read Paul Bradley's reports for the Birmingham Mail
-2008-136-0068.jpg)
It may not be everyone's preferred destination but Sussex policeman Alan Costello has moved to Iraq, he’s swapped Friday nights in Brighton for Basra. To date the project has seen over 1000 Iraqis train in skills relevant to establish a police force and it is thanks to the likes of Alan who you can hear discussing his work here.
A fall in the number of attacks across Iraq has emboldened a growing list of companies, including ArcelorMittal, Royal Dutch Shell and Cairn Energy, to explore opportunities in the resources-rich country for the first time since the invasion. Southern Iraq, where British forces have been based since 2003, is an area of particular interest, sitting on one of the world’s biggest oil and gas reserves. It also has a strong industrial and agricultural base and the country’s only port.
To read the full Times article by Deborah Haynes click here
-2008-136-0038.jpg)
In a move that would have been unthinkable a few months ago, British police officers have been walking the streets of Basra with their Iraqi counterparts.-2008-136-0047.jpg)
Iraq will participate in a trade-industrial fair to be hosted in Greece late this year, according to Iraq’s exporters & importers union chief on Wednesday.
“A delegation will represent Iraq in Exporana Show Athens 2008, the largest diverse industries fair in Greece, where Iraqi industrialists and businessmen will meet with their Greek peers to discuss means to further industrial and trade relations between the two countries,” Thabit al-Baladawi told Aswat al-Iraq.
Read the full story on IraqUpdates
Packs of semi-feral dogs roam the barricades, their howls competing with the drone of generators and the frequent calls to prayer from the mosque in nearby Abu al Khasib. Welcome to Camp Craw – home to the Assaye platoon of the Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the most southerly base for the Scottish troops tasked with restoring security to Basra.
For the full story click here to go to the Press & Journal website
Posts
All Comments
