From Birmingham to Basra - Birmingham Post

By Paul Bradley on Mar 14, 09 08:49 PM in Politics

I'm currently sitting sitting with about 15 British squaddies in a hanger at Kuwait airport. We are in the US facility waiting to board a one hour direct flight (on a Hercules) to Basra.

What's most interesting is the relaxed attitude of the soldiers. The work to be done in Basra seems far from their minds as they tap me up for today's football and rugby scores.

As we sit here munching pastrami baguettes and watching Pearl Harbour on a widescreen television, you wouldn't believe we were just about to fly into one of the world's most troubled city's.

Just this month an Iraqi civilian, who was probably working at the base, was killed by a rocket.

But for many of these troops the trip in and out of Basra has been done so many times now that it is hardly worth mentioning.

For many of the others, who are already well into their six month tour, they will only have one more of these journey's left to do before they can concentrate their efforts elsewhere.

Elsewhere, also known as Afghanistan, will be a much longer story though.