Countdown To UK Troops' Exit From Iraq - Sky

Geoff Meade, defence correspondent

The countdown is under way for the final withdrawal of British forces from Iraq.

Next month, a flag-lowering ceremony in Basra will complete the transfer of authority to American troops.

The bulk of more than 4,000 UK servicemen and women will then head for home.

It marks the end of one of the most controversial operations since the Second World War, which has lasted more than six years and cost 179 British lives.

For most of the last year, the tide of battle has been running in favour of British forces now into their last month of patrolling.

Yet although insurgent activity has subsided dramatically, the troops of the Army's riverine squad stay alert as their shallow-draught launches skim the salt marshes around Basra.

The enemy has used the network of waterways as perfect cover for launching rocket and mortar attacks on the main coalition base two miles away.

The men of 5 Rifles and 35 Engineer Regiment remain vigilant in case the insurgents should be planning an unwelcome parting gift.

Meanwhile, in the city itself, soldiers of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment were dismounting the machine guns from their armoured vehicles in the final days of their third tour.

"We've spent enough time here, we've helped them out enough," said Cpl Nathaniel Wrigglesworth.

His colleague Lance Cpl Paul Woods added: "Now is probably the best time to go. We can actually see it from start to finish."

In British cookhouses - newly designated as "dining facilities" - they serve iced coffee and burgers alongside the fish and chips.

Some 3,400 American troops are moving in, part of a US force that may remain for another two years.

When the MoD ordered the withdrawal to this fortified base 18 months ago, sources close to US command were reported as saying "the British had lost Basra".

The Pentagon's senior military adviser in the city denies any rift over the decision to pull out first.

"Their leadership has made the decision that it's time to move on and work in another location," insisted Lt Col Angelo Johnson.

"We have to agree that they've made the right decision."

Were widespread violence to return, it is inconceivable Britain would come back to such a contentious mission that put such strain on its military.

Helicopters and troops are needed in the growing battle for Afghanistan.

For better or worse, it is now up to the Iraqis themselves to secure the fragile peace and ensure lives lost so far are not in vain.

County-born military leader’s Iraq role - Shropshire Star

The Shropshire-born military commander who handed over control of Basra to the US in a historic ceremony in Iraq has told how “we’ve finished this right”.

The commander of UK Amphibious Forces, Major General Andy Salmon from Wellington, acknowledged there had been “ups and downs” for UK forces in Iraq but insisted it was “a successful conclusion to a long campaign”.

“I can put my hand on my heart and say we’ve finished this right,” he said.

The handover ceremony yesterday saw the pennant of Maj Gen Salmon’s Combined Amphibious Forces being lowered and the pennant of the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division raised.

Earlier speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme, Maj Gen Salmon talked of leaving the Middle East with some sense of satisfaction.

He said: “If you look at the situation that we see now in Basra and you ask the Basrawis what they feel about it, for those who are old enough to realise and compare it with the past gloom of Saddam’s era, they look back to 30 years ago and say, you know, ‘we’re seeing stability that we haven’t had before, we’re seeing levels of freedom that we haven’t had before’.”

But he also talked of the difficulties British troops have faced.

He added: “It’s been very testing, we had an insurgency materialise, violence on steroids if you like – levels of violence that I don’t think any of us were going to think were possible when we came here in 2003.”

US Army Major General Michael Oates assumed command of coalition forces in Basra as part of a new Multi-National Division (South) region in Iraq.

Since the US-led invasion, 179 British personnel have died in Iraq.

More than 4,100 British troops are still in Iraq but they will stop combat operations on May 31 and all but about 400 of them will gradually be withdrawn by July 31.

Our Boys are coming home - The Sun

BRITISH troops started the long and final journey home from Iraq yesterday.

The first soldiers to leave the country boarded a plane for the UK — after command for the Basra garrison was transferred to the United States.

They included the now former British forces boss, Major General Andy Salmon.

During an emotional flag-lowering ceremony, the Royal Marine supremo shook hands with American counterpart Major General Michael Oates, who takes on security responsibility for the south of the country.

The event marked the beginning of the end of a bitter, six-year occupation of southern Iraq.
A total of 179 British military personnel were killed and 1,000-plus wounded — the majority by Iran-backed militants — since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The rest of the 4,100-strong force will pull out over the next two months — with PM Gordon Brown setting the official end-of-combat date in Iraq as May 31, with all fighting troops out by July 31.

Top brass from London and Washington jetted into the Basra air base for the occasion.
Britain’s most senior warrior, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, lead the tributes. Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Jock said: “We remember those who paid the ultimate price in this endeavour, those who suffered injury and disablement in order that we might get to this point today.”

He added: “This occasion is about the countless numbers of young men and women from the United States, from the British Isles, who have striven with such dedication, with such commitment and with such courage.

“It’s about the effort they put in, it’s about the difficulties they overcame, it’s about the losses they suffered.”

US commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, said: “It is never easy to say goodbye to great friends — but the stronger and more important emotion today is gratitude.”

Iraqi military boss General Nasier Abadi told yesterday how now stable Basra had been “transformed” thanks to the immense sacrifices of UK forces.

Gordon Brown called the handover “a further step forward in the UK’s work in Iraq”. He said there had been difficult times but British troops “have made an outstanding contribution”.

British troops begin Iraq pullout

British forces have officially started to withdraw from Iraq, signalling the end of six years of military operations that began with the US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.

The flag of the British headquarters in Basra was lowered on Tuesday during a solemn ceremony marking the start of a months-long process that will see all 4,100 British troops leave the violence-wracked country by the end of July.

"One hundred and seventy-nine gallant warriors of the United Kingdom made the supreme sacrifice," said General Ray Odierno, the senior US army officer in Iraq, in tribute to the British personnel who have died in the country since 2003.

"We have shed blood together and that is a bond that no man can break," he told about 300 guests, including British and Iraqi officers and diplomats, shortly before a US army flag was raised and the colours of the Royal Marines were lowered.

"You have restored hope where chaos reigned," Odierno added.

Britain's chief of defence staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup paid tribute "to those who made the ultimate sacrifice" and described the Iraq campaign as "a noble endeavour."

"This occasion is about the countless number of men and women from the far-flung corners of the United States and from Great Britain who have striven with such courage here," he said.
"I salute you with pride."

Major General Andy Salmon, the senior British officer in Basra, handed over the southern base to an American commander, in a key step towards all foreign troops leaving the country and a full return to Iraqi sovereignty.

The colours of the coalition's Multinational Division South-East, a specially inscribed Royal Marines flag, were lowered and replaced with the standard of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division.

Salmon, a Royal Marine and veteran of the 1982 Falklands conflict and 1991 Gulf War, was among 40 British troops to leave Basra after Tuesday's ceremony.

He and his predecessors were praised by Iraqi army General Nassir Abadi.

"Now is the time to thank those British personnel who have served in our country and the many who have contributed so much," Abadi said.

"We owe a debt of gratitude that we can best repay by continuing the progress that my country has made."

Britain, under then prime minister Tony Blair, was America's key ally when president George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam.

In London Blair's successor, Gordon Brown, paid tribute to the British troops.

"There have been difficult times along the way, but British troops have made an outstanding contribution to laying the ground for a stable and increasingly prosperous Basra -- part of a stable, secure and prosperous Iraq," Brown said in a statement.

British troop numbers in the campaign were the second largest, peaking at 46,000 in March and April 2003 at the height of combat operations that resulted in the dictator's ouster and eventual execution for crimes against humanity.

Under a deal signed by Baghdad and London last year the last 4,100 British soldiers would complete their mission -- primarily training the Iraqi army -- by June, before withdrawing completely in late July.

Tuesday's departure began almost 50 years after Britain's previous exit from Iraq, in May 1959, when the last soldiers left Habbaniyah base near the western town of Fallujah, ending a presence that dated back to 1918.

Basra, Iraq's third-largest city and a strategic oil hub, had been under British command since the 2003 invasion, but the province and its airport returned to Iraqi control three months ago.

As well as training its soldiers, Britain has been instrumental in the rebirth of the Iraqi navy.
A Royal Navy training team is based at the southern port of Umm Qasr, and its role is expected to continue although a new agreement has yet to be reached.

The British pullout comes as the US military also steps up preparations to leave Iraq.
Under a US-Iraqi security agreement signed last November, American troops must withdraw from major towns and cities by June 30 and from the whole country by the end of 2011.

Britain starts withdrawing troops from Iraq - Hindustan Times

The transfer follows Britain's agreement last year to withdraw all but 500 of the 4,100 troops it had stationed in Iraq ahead of its complete military withdrawal from the country in July.

The 500 remaining British soldiers will train Iraqi forces, and the Iraqi Navy in particular.

After the US, Britain sent the largest contingent of soldiers to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
British troops transferred the responsibility of operating Basra's civilian airport to Iraqi authorities Jan 1, but the British military retained control of the military base next to the airport. Control of that base will now pass to the US military.

Though calm has largely returned to Basra, the base has frequently been the target of rocket attacks.

Britain begins Iraq pullout - Herald, Australia

IT started with bagpipes, ended with an embrace and was laced with references to Churchill and memories of sacrifice that have forged a bond that "no man can break".

The handover of the British-led coalition base to US forces in Basra overnight was tinged with sadness, as America's senior military officer in Iraq admitted he had mixed emotions about the departure of its key ally.

"The relationship between Britain and the United States is, as your wartime leader Winston Churchill said, a 'special relationship'," said General Ray Odierno.

"Our people share a bond like no other and it has sustained us over generations as we fought against tyranny. It can still be counted on today."

Gen Odierno set the tone for a solemn occasion which paid tribute to the 179 British servicemen and women who have died in Iraq since the March 2003 US-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein.

"One hundred and seventy-nine gallant warriors of the United Kingdom made the supreme sacrifice," said Gen Odierno. "We have shed blood together and that is a bond that no man can break."

Lee Watson, of Britain's Royal Tank Regiment, piped in about 300 guests including military officers, diplomats and local dignitaries at the opening of the ceremony.

He played The Green Hills of Tyrol, an anthem that has accompanied British military campaigns since the Crimean War in 1853.

The guests then stood as a Royal Marines band played the Iraqi, US and British national anthems as the three flags fluttered in a light breeze and the sun came out from behind clouds that had shrouded the midday ceremony.

After Gen Odierno's tribute, the British chief of defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, spoke in recognition of "those who made the ultimate sacrifice" in what he described as "a noble endeavour".

"This occasion is about the countless number of men and women from the far-flung corners of the United States and from Great Britain who have striven with such courage here in Iraq," he said.

"I salute you with pride."

General Nassir Abadi, deputy chief of staff of Iraq's armed forces, then spoke in English of his "honour" at having worked with British troops since Saddam's ouster.

"We owe a debt of gratitude that we can best repay by continuing the progress that my country has made," Gen Abadi said. "I am delighted but not surprised that the United Kingdom has stayed the course since 2003."

Gen Abadi also quoted Churchill in his tribute, saying the World War II leader had described courage as "the quality that guarantees all others ... I believe this quality has been demonstrated in abundance" by British soldiers in Iraq.

The outgoing British commander, Major General Andy Salmon, said British, American and Iraqi forces had "spilt blood together" and he had finally realised that Iraq had reached a "turning point" last October.

"The future is there for the taking," he said, referring to Iraq's January provincial elections that passed with little major violence.

He then hugged his successor, Major General Michael Oates, who said he would try to continue "the great work done by British forces" before using his final words to echo Maj-Gen Salmon's optimism.

"I see unlimited potential in southern Iraq," the US officer said.

The flag of the coalition's Multinational Division South-East, a specially-inscribed Royal Marines flag, was earlier lowered and replaced with the standard of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division.

In recognition of the multifaith gathering, a US chaplain led a prayer and wished British troops "God speed" on their journey home, before a reading from the Koran, the Muslim holy book.

Britain to start Iraq pullout - Photographs by Lewis Whyld / PA

Beginning Of The End For UK Troops In Basra - Sky News

Geoff Meade, Defence correspondent
Britain has formally handed over Basra to US troops, marking the start of the withdrawal from the UK's most contentious war for half a century.

UK Maj Gen Andy Salmon has now relinquished command to American Maj Gen Michael Oates, who heads up the new Multi National Division South.
The ceremonial lowering of the divisional flag signalled the end to British control of their Basra base, six years after the invasion.

Gen Salmon and his headquarters staff will start packing to leave Iraq in the next 48 hours.
Over the coming four months, almost all of Britain’s remaining contingent will follow.
Where UK forces took the lead in battling insurgents, the few left will concentrate on training and mentoring Iraqi units.

Streets that once saw some of the fiercest rebellion, with British soldiers and armoured vehicles under regular attack, are left in the control of the Iraqi government.
Security is provided by local troops and police.

Near normal life has returned, as once-regular blood letting has now reduced to sporadic outbursts. But the achievement has come at the cost of 179 British lives and untold thousands of Iraqi casualties.

The campaign has also seen UK forces at their best and worst.

It was here that Johnson Beharry became the only serving holder of the Victoria Cross.
But it was also the theatre where prisoner abuse lead to the first British war crime conviction and the still-unsolved killing of Baha Mousa, the hotel receptionist who died in military custody.
The Ministry of Defence claims that the last 18 months have been a period of particular progress, with Basra safer and more stable than before and poised to exploit its enormous wealth as an oil producing centre.

However, the Americans are not so convinced of its benign future to leave the safety of their main supply line from Kuwait entirely in the hands of the locals.

The US 10th Mountain Division will patrol regularly against any renewal of the violence that will be the main memory of those whose duty is coming to an end.

U.K. Military Transfers Command of Basra to U.S. - Wall Street Journal

The British military transferred over coalition command of the oil-rich southern province of Basra to the U.S. on Tuesday. It was the latest step toward the withdrawal of the remaining 4,100 British troops from Iraq by midsummer.

The British troops will be withdrawn in phases, with combat operations due to end at the end of May and all but about 400 troops withdrawn by the end of July. Those staying behind will be involved in training Iraqis, according to the British Ministry of Defense.

"As the Iraq people continue to stand on their own, we will support them and we will stand together shoulder-to-shoulder united against our common enemies and committed to peace and prosperity," the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, said at a ceremony to mark the Basra handover.

Britain, which had been a staunch U.S. ally since the March 2003 invasion, handed over security responsibilities in Basra to the Iraqis late last year but continued to maintain its presence on a base at the airport outside the city.

The British military has reported 179 deaths since the war started.
Iraq's deputy chief of staff for armed forces Lt. Gen. Naseer al-Ebadi thanked the British forces for training and equipping the Iraqis and said his forces were ready to take over. "Iraqi security forces are capable of maintaining order and security," he said.

Royal Marines' flag lowered for last time in Basra - Times

Deborah Haynes in Basra

The remaining British troops in Iraq began to withdraw today after handing over control of the main base in Basra to a US commander in a ceremony that was sealed with the lowering of the Royal Marines flag.

Major-General Andy Salmon, the last British two-star general to command the province where British forces have been based for six years, is due to fly to Qatar and then home to a champagne reception in Britain.

“It is a momentous day in so many respects,” General Salmon told The Times after a ceremony at Basra airport, next to the military base, at which the flag of the US 10th Mountain Division was raised to replace the Marines’ colours.

“I think we have made a contribution, we have made a difference, we can see amazing progress has taken place in Basra. There is still an awful lot to do of course. At least we can go having contributed and done our bit.”

Asked what he planned to do when he arrived home, the General said: “Have a couple of beers, I think, and see my missus.”

A staff of about 40 will depart with him, paving the way for the majority of Britain’s remaining 4,100-strong contingent to exit Iraq by the summer.

General Ray Odierno, the top US commander in Iraq, attended the ceremony along with his deputy and a number of senior Iraqi and British officials, including Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff, who flew in for the occasion.

Standing on a podium decked in the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes, General Odierno paid tribute to the “special relationship” enjoyed between his country and Britain.

“Those of us who have served here are linked not just by the heritage and bloodlines that we share but by the blood we have shed together in the defence of the innocent. That is a bond that no man can break," he told an audience of about 300 mainly British and American military personnel and diplomats.

The ceremony also recognised the contribution of the 179 British soldiers, airmen and sailors who have died in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion and the 100,000 coalition Servicemen who have carried out tours of duty in the country.

“This occasion is about the countless number of men and women from the far-flung corners of the United States and from Great Britain who have striven which such courage here in Iraq,” Sir Jock said.

Southern Iraq is more stable than a year ago when Basra, in particular, was overrun by extremist militias. An Iraq-led operation to regain control last March has enabled a new sense of security to take hold and reconstruction projects to get underway.

Under an agreement between Baghdad and London, British combat operations in Iraq are due to end on May 31, by which time many troops will have departed. Most of the rest will leave by the end of July.

However, up to 500 are to remain in the country beyond that deadline to continue with the training of the tiny Iraqi navy and to work at an Iraqi staff college. In addition, a number of officers will continue to be based at the coalition headquarters in Baghdad.

Iraqi and British officials are discussing a new long-term agreement that will guide the two countries’ relationship beyond July 31.

UK troops begin Iraqi withdrawal - BBC

UK troops begin Iraqi withdrawal

The ceremony began with bagpipes and ended with an embrace

British forces have begun their official withdrawal from Iraq after the UK's commander in the south of the country handed over to a US general.

Major General Andy Salmon has transferred authority for what will become Multi-National Division South to US Major General Michael Oates.

The generals' pennants were raised and lowered in a handover ceremony.

Most of Britain's 4,000 troops will leave by 31 May, the official end-of-combat date.

About 400 will stay after that, either in HQ roles or to train the Iraqi Navy.

'Dedication and commitment'

A Royal Marine band from Plymouth played as the Marines' flag was lowered in the ceremony at Basra airbase and replaced with the standard of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division.

Britain's Maj Gen Andy Salmon then shook hands with his American successor and embraced him.

In a speech at the handover ceremony, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of Defence Staff, paid tribute to the troops who had served in Iraq.

"This occasion is about the countless numbers of young men and women from the far flung corners of the US and and the various reaches of the British Isles, who have together striven here with such dedication, with such commitment, and such courage, over so long a period," he said.

"We remember particularly at such a time those who paid the ultimate price in this endeavour, those who suffered injury and disablement, in order that we might get to this point today."

Since the 2003 invasion, 179 British personnel have lost their lives in Iraq.

The head of coalition forces in Iraq, US General Ray Odierno, expressed his gratitude to British forces and public in a speech.

"I am grateful not only for the outstanding accomplishments of the brave troopers of the UK, but for the courage and selfless dedication of all the UK forces who served in Iraq, and for the unwavering commitment of the British people in the cause of liberty around the world."

Before he took formal control, Maj-Gen Oates said the US "gladly" accepted the responsibility.

"The citizens, elected government and security forces of Basra can expect our full co-operation and support. We look forward to the opportunities of service to the Iraqi people, and forging our new relationships here in Basra," he said.

'Stability and freedom'

Maj Gen Salmon says much has been achieved over the past six years.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the work of British forces had changed the lives of ordinary Iraqis.

"For those who are old enough to realise, and compare it with the past gloom of Saddam's era, they look back to 30 years ago and say 'We're seeing stability that we haven't had before; we're seeing levels of freedom that we haven't had before'," he said.

"We trust the Iraqi security forces. We can see economic investment start to take hold. We just had safe and secure free fair and an open set elections which have now been ratified and we now look to the future with considerable amounts of optimism."

The US role in southern Iraq will be slightly different, focusing more on training the Iraqi police, and keeping open the supply route between the south and Baghdad.

The BBC's defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt says US soldiers are now a visible presence in Basra, with British troops handing over many of the buildings and duties at the camp as they pack up after six years in Iraq.

But Lt Colonel AJ Johnson, the American taking over the job of liaising with the Iraqi Army at Basra Operations Centre, says there will not be much difference in the US approach in Basra - which means ensuring the Iraqi Army and police remain the most visible presence on the streets.

Lt Col Johnson told the BBC: "The bottom line, the aim of the transition itself is to make sure it's seamless and that there's generally no perception that the US army is here and they are going to do things different than the British did when they were here."

The Americans are also reducing their numbers, with two brigades due to leave the province of Al-Anbar, once the heartland of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

However, the bulk of US troops are not due to leave until the end of 2011.

Maj Gen Salmon said he did not regret that the British forces were leaving Basra before a credible police force was working in the city.

"I don't think I have got any regrets over that; it's just the way it is. With the forces we have had and the resources we have had, we have concentrated on training the army," he said.

"We've trained the 10th division and trained the 14th division. The 10th division has performed really well further north and the 14th division has performed brilliantly over the last year in Basra, so we've got something to be very proud of."

U.S. Takes Over as Britain Begins Basra Pullout - New York Times

BASRA, Iraq — After six years as America’s closest western ally in Iraq, Britain handed over command in the Basra area to the United States on Tuesday as a prelude to withdrawing its last 4,100 troops from the country.

At its height, the British commitment to the American-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 totaled more than 40,000 personnel, including ground troops and pilots. But with its army stretched by a growing deployment in Afghanistan, Britain has gradually scaled back its presence and handed over security duties to Iraqi forces.

At a ceremony at a civilian air terminal here, Maj. Gen. Andy Salmon of Britain’s Royal Marines handed control of forces in the Basra area to American Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, who will command the British forces as they draw down.

Most are scheduled to leave the country by the end of July, but several hundred will be left an advisory capacity, British military officials said.

“We stayed the course and we endured,” General Salmon said at the ceremony, during which the band of the Royal Marines played the British, American, and Iraqi national anthems.
Some 7,000 American soldiers will move in to replace the British divisions by late summer, General Oates said. Prior to Tuesday’s handover, some 2,000 American troops in Basra were under British command.

Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of American forces in Iraq, praised the British deployment in Iraq and said that the transition ceremony “comes with mixed emotions.”

“None of this has been easy. We have faced tremendous adversity,” he said, telling British representatives: “You have given the people of Iraq an opportunity to build a bright and prosperous future.” He said the handover represented a “transition, not an end.”

Ever since a massive operation last year spearheaded by the Iraqi army, with substantial British and American support, security has improved significantly in Basra, though residents still complain of a severe lack of jobs and basic services. Coalition forces have become an uncommon sight in Basra’s streets, which are dotted by Iraqi police and army checkpoints.

Iraqis security forces are technically in control of Basra, and the remaining American troops will primarily serve as advisors, General Oates said.

UK in Iraq, the beginning of the end - BBC

By Caroline Wyatt
Defence correspondent, BBC News, Basra

The withdrawal of British forces from Iraq will begin on Tuesday as the top British general in southern Iraq hands over his command to an American general in Basra.

Major General Andy Salmon will transfer authority for what will become Multi-National Division South to US Major General Michael Oates. He will now command British and American forces in the south of the country.

A few British troops will leave Basra on Tuesday - although the majority of the 4,000 British forces still in southern Iraq are not due to go just yet.

Most will leave by 31 May, the official date set for the end of combat operations, with only about 400 remaining after that - either in coalition HQ roles or helping to train and mentor the Iraq navy in the port of Umm Qasr.

Under the current agreement with the Iraqi government, the bulk of British forces have to leave Iraq by the end of July.

Annie's Pretzels

In a separate deal, American troops are to stay on until the end of 2011, although this June they will have to finish withdrawing their soldiers from Iraqi cities to bases outside the main centres.

The transfer of authority does mark the beginning of the end of Britain's military presence in Iraq, six years after the US-led coalition invaded the country and deposed Saddam Hussein.

Already, the main British base at the airport just outside Basra - known as the Contingency Operating Base (COB) - is taking on an increasingly American flavour.

Fast food outlets are springing up (Annie's Pretzel Bar, motto: 'Spoiling Dinners since 1988') and convoys of American armoured vehicles can be seen churning up the tracks, scattering clouds of fine desert sand.

US soldiers are also a much more visible presence on the base, with British troops handing over many of the buildings and their duties at the camp, as they start packing up.

It is a major logistical operation, with 4,000 servicemen and women and six years worth of military equipment to move.

The US military role in southern Iraq will be slightly different. American forces are to focus more closely on training and mentoring the Iraqi police, who are still less trusted than their army counterparts.

They will also help train Iraqi forces to maintain border security, as well as keeping open the main supply route between the south and Baghdad.

Lives lost

During Operation Telic 13, the codename for British operations in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, British troops have focused mainly on mentoring the Iraqi army, in particular the 14th Division.

"I think we can go with our hands on our hearts, holding our heads high, very proud of what people have achieved here over the last six years," says outgoing Major General Andy Salmon.

He cites the recent provincial elections, which passed off mainly peacefully in the south, and the improved security situation, including interest from new investors in Basra.

We are standing at the memorial wall in Basra, with its rows of brass plaques recording the 179 UK service personnel and the MoD civilian who lost their lives over the course of the British campaign.

"We have to remember the lessons - we've always got to learn lessons in any campaign - then get back, have some well-deserved leave and get on with the next job."

Page last updated at 23:00 GMT, Monday, 30 March 2009 00:00 UK
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UK in Iraq, the beginning of the end

By Caroline Wyatt
Defence correspondent, BBC News, Basra


The withdrawal of British forces from Iraq will begin on Tuesday as the top British general in southern Iraq hands over his command to an American general in Basra.

Major General Andy Salmon will transfer authority for what will become Multi-National Division South to US Major General Michael Oates. He will now command British and American forces in the south of the country.


The bulk of British forces have to leave Iraq by the end of July
A few British troops will leave Basra on Tuesday - although the majority of the 4,000 British forces still in southern Iraq are not due to go just yet.

Most will leave by 31 May, the official date set for the end of combat operations, with only about 400 remaining after that - either in coalition HQ roles or helping to train and mentor the Iraq navy in the port of Umm Qasr.

Under the current agreement with the Iraqi government, the bulk of British forces have to leave Iraq by the end of July.

Annie's Pretzels

In a separate deal, American troops are to stay on until the end of 2011, although this June they will have to finish withdrawing their soldiers from Iraqi cities to bases outside the main centres.

The transfer of authority does mark the beginning of the end of Britain's military presence in Iraq, six years after the US-led coalition invaded the country and deposed Saddam Hussein.

Already, the main British base at the airport just outside Basra - known as the Contingency Operating Base (COB) - is taking on an increasingly American flavour.

Fast food outlets are springing up (Annie's Pretzel Bar, motto: 'Spoiling Dinners since 1988') and convoys of American armoured vehicles can be seen churning up the tracks, scattering clouds of fine desert sand.

I think we can go with our hands on our hearts, holding our heads high, very proud of what people have achieved here over the last six years

Major General Andy Salmon
US soldiers are also a much more visible presence on the base, with British troops handing over many of the buildings and their duties at the camp, as they start packing up.

It is a major logistical operation, with 4,000 servicemen and women and six years worth of military equipment to move.

The US military role in southern Iraq will be slightly different. American forces are to focus more closely on training and mentoring the Iraqi police, who are still less trusted than their army counterparts.

They will also help train Iraqi forces to maintain border security, as well as keeping open the main supply route between the south and Baghdad.

Lives lost

During Operation Telic 13, the codename for British operations in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, British troops have focused mainly on mentoring the Iraqi army, in particular the 14th Division.

"I think we can go with our hands on our hearts, holding our heads high, very proud of what people have achieved here over the last six years," says outgoing Major General Andy Salmon.

He cites the recent provincial elections, which passed off mainly peacefully in the south, and the improved security situation, including interest from new investors in Basra.

We are standing at the memorial wall in Basra, with its rows of brass plaques recording the 179 UK service personnel and the MoD civilian who lost their lives over the course of the British campaign.

"We have to remember the lessons - we've always got to learn lessons in any campaign - then get back, have some well-deserved leave and get on with the next job."

Why should I [vote]? Politicians are all the same - the last governor was bad, and the next one will be even worse

Basra market trader
A few miles away, at the Iraqi army's main base at Basra Operations Centre in the old Shatt-al-Arab hotel, another transition will be taking place between the US and Britain.

British Colonel Richard Stanford, who advises the head of Iraqi forces General Mohamed, will also hand on to an American, Lieutenant Colonel AJ Johnson.

"It's truly a pleasure for me to come in and dovetail on the accomplishments of British forces here," Col Johnson tells the BBC.

He has recently arrived from Sadr City in Baghdad, one of the heartlands of support for the radical Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and is finding Basra a striking contrast as he is shown around a shiny new shopping centre in the city.

It stocks everything from women's racy underwear to make-up, jewellery and perfume - all discouraged, sometimes violently, by the Shia militia before the Iraqi army launched its successful operation Charge of the Knights last March.

US, and later UK, forces embedded training and mentoring teams with the Iraqi forces within Basra city to help during the operation.


"The British here truly have an understanding of an insurgency-rich environment. The steps they have taken and set in place have set American and coalition forces up for success as we partner with the Iraqis here," says Col Stanford.

On the streets of Basra, British soldiers from the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment are performing their last mentoring patrol with their Iraqi charges.

Accompanying them in their American-built Humvees, the patrol was conducted to a distinctly Iraqi soundtrack blaring tinnily from one of the Iraqi soldier's mobile phones.

'More sociable'

Feelings in Basra about the transition are mixed. We drive with the patrol to the edge of what was once the most dangerous area of Basra, the Hayaniyah. Col Stanford, an Arabic speaker, chats to market traders.

One man says he didn't bother voting in the most recent provincial elections: "Why should I?" he asks. "Politicians are all the same. The last governor was bad, and the next one will be even worse."

He is still convinced that Britain and America only invaded Iraq to take control of its oil supply, and says foreign armies have no place here.

Others, though, say they are thankful to British forces for helping remove Saddam Hussein - though most are now happy to rely on the Iraqi army to keep the peace in Basra.

Another man tells us that he prefers British forces to American troops.

"They're friendlier, more sociable. I've heard the Americans can be more aggressive."

So, as British forces prepare to leave Iraq, what does Col Stanford think they have learned from their six years here?

"We have re-learned some of our lessons from history - that we need the help of local forces. We trained the Iraqi army to secure Basra province and that's what they have done."

If there have been a few cross-cultural difficulties between the British and the Iraqis, the incoming Americans will have to learn a whole new language as they gradually take over from British soldiers in the coming months.

British forces to withdraw in April

MOHAMMED ABBAS
Reuters

Britain will begin withdrawing its remaining 4,000 combat troops from Iraq at the end of March, six years after helping to topple Saddam Hussein as Washington's main ally in the U.S.-led invasion.

The withdrawal of combat troops stationed in the southern city of Basra is due to be completed by the end of July. A residual presence of a few hundred personnel will stay on to train Iraqi police, a British military spokesman in Basra said.

The 2003 invasion unleashed widespread sectarian killing, and the war in Iraq has proven both costly and unpopular for the United States and Britain. Violence has since dropped sharply in the past year, and foreign troops are preparing to leave.

U.S. President Barack Obama said last month that the United States will withdraw around 100,000 troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, leaving a force of up to about 50,000.
“The gradual drawdown will start from March 31. We will cease operations around May 31 ... All the combat forces, about 4,000 troops, must be out of Iraq by the end of July,” British military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dickie Winchester said.

The U.S. military will send some 900 military police to Basra to lead police training, part of U.S. plans to open a headquarters there to command its forces in southern Iraq, Mr. Winchester said.
Iraqi forces are responsible for security in the south.

“A U.S. headquarters will be established here. The U.S. headquarters will take command of the south of Iraq,” he said, speaking by telephone from Basra.

Britain sent 46,000 troops to the Gulf for the 2003 invasion. British troops once controlled the southern oil-rich province of Basra, but withdrew to Basra airport in 2007, leaving Iraqi forces to take control of security.

Basra was once overrun by gangs and militias vying for its oil wealth, but is now relatively calm after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a security crackdown last year.

Iraqi forces sent to restore order found themselves shooting at gunmen in police uniform, and the British military has said restoring confidence in Basra's police is key to stability.

“The Iraqi army is ready (and) capable of securing Basra ... The police will still continue to be trained,” Mr. Winchester said.

Palkot’s Return - Fox News

by Greg Palkot

This is my 13thvisit to Iraq. But my first in two years. When Anastasia asked me if I wanted to go, I said sure. There was much to catch up on. And besides, I’d be doing it with my good buddy and veteran of countless hot spots with me — cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski. And a nice native New Yorker, producer Marcia Biggs.

Our first stop is the southern city of Basra. I’d been there a few times under Saddam, and a few times after. And it hasn’t been so hot under either guise… it’s a big sprawling marshy port city which always seems to have more garbage in the streets than redeeming features.

It does have one very redeeming feature though: oil. Just about more than anywhere in the world. When you see the place though you can’t believe it. It could be Houston. It ain’t.

It’s been run by the Brits since the fall of Saddam in 2003, and that’s one of the reasons we are down here. The UK is leaving this spring, and the U.S., already overstretched and trying to get itself out of Iraq, has to cover this place as well.

Our assessment is, touch wood, it should be OK. Basra had been relatively calm for several years after 2003. In summer 2005, in fact, I made my last trip to Basra. Folks were eating ice cream cones along the waterfront and families were enjoying amusement park rides.

Then, as things happen in Iraq, the place turned into a blood-drenched maelstrom. Iran-backed militia ran the city, made everyone’s lives hell, and turned the place into a shooting gallery.

It finally took tons of Iraqi armed forces backed mostly by the US to rein the place in. Now, it’s in pretty good shape, tightly wired down by a lot of new and improved Iraqi units.

The hitch, as I noted in my report, is the place that still has a host of social ills: unemployment, lack of services, run-down infrastructure. If the new local government doesn’t deal with that, the US is going to have more headaches.

Anyway it’s nice being with the Brits. They’re always so articulate and accommodating and funny. The press officer we dealt with was named “Dickie.” One of his past times was playing cafeteria bingo. He would sit at a different table every time he went to the Mess. He d keep a chart of the dining room in his office and X off the tables he sat in. Don’t ask me why.

The Brits’ food is also always a pleasure. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding just some of the fare we tucked into. I’m not saying American food on US bases is bad. It’s just a little bit… shopping mall. Brit dining room food is more Ye Olde Thatched Cottage.

We spent time with Lt. Chris Coles and his men, who are training up those Iraqi soldiers. They’re living with the Iraqis in their bases inside the city. And it’s pretty urban rough and tight. But they were very pleased to show off the UK troops’ rec room. With the ever present Brit soccer on the big screen.

We went with the Brits (and Iraqis) on a street patrol. All very well conducted. You always notice how well-spaced and carefully choreographed the UK troops are. It’s those long years of Northern Ireland city warfare under their belts. And no helmets. This is how they’d been patrolling the city for much of their stay — until the local thug gangs started to turn on them and set their vehicles on fire. They must be relieved that it’s all settled down. I know I was, not just for myself but for the battle-weary American soldiers taking over here.

As the very upright British Brigadier General Tom Beckett put it to me, “In any mission you have yours ups and downs, but if you persevere you can get through it.”

As for the residents we met on patrol, they were uniformly friendly and appreciative of the troops’ presence. They all said they were happy the militias were no longer there and there was security again. But they also were full of grumbles about what Basra needed. Just like London. What progress.

Probably the high point of our visit with the Brits though was the combat exercise involving Iraqi troops mentored by UK soldiers. It was run on a run-down, abandoned base with nearly live fire. And it was better than “Full Metal Jacket” and “Platoon” all rolled into one.

Or should I say the highpoint for cameraman Pierre, who got to run around the shooting, act like the Energizer Bunny he is, and get up as close as possible to the blasts (his hearing has left him about 8 hot spots ago).

The Americans will be training up the police, which, if the Basra Finest are anything like other police forces in this country, will be anything but an easy job. So, I think it s a bit too early to say that we Yanks will have an easy ride of it. Too often in this tough, sprawling country things have gone from good to bad. But it appears easier than other places we’ ve wandered into.

And again, as I mentioned in my report, the other redeeming feature of all this is that it’ll be a quick exit when the U.S. troops get their final marching orders. Kuwait, the land exit ramp for all American forces in Iraq, is right next door! And McDonald’s is not too far beyond that!

British troops prepare Iraq withdrawal - BBC

British troops are training and mentoring the Iraqi army ahead of the final departure of the British Army on 31 July.

As the UK announces its withdrawal from Iraq,an overall judgement of its deployment should be a favourable one.

Iraqi forces taking lead in Basra - Stars & Stripes

Official: British won’t need U.S. replacements

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes

U.S. troops will not have to replace British troops, who are expected to leave southern Iraq later this year, said British Maj. Gen. Andy Salmon on Monday.

Salmon’s comments come after the top U.S. commander in Iraq said last month that he was considering sending U.S. troops to Basra to replace the British.

Army Gen. Ray Odierno said in December that he might move a brigade or division headquarters to Basra followed by an undetermined number of combat troops, according to The Associated Press.

"We think it’s important to maintain some presence down here just because we think Basra is an important city, and we think it’s important to have some oversight here," he said.

Multi-National Force–Iraq was unable to say by deadline Monday whether Odierno had changed his mind.

"I know that the commander on the ground here will want to make sure he has some situational awareness, but it won’t be replacing U.K. troops man for man," Salmon told reporters.

British troops are expected to pull out of Iraq by July 31, Salmon said. Iraqi security forces in the region are already in the lead, with the help of some U.S. training teams.

"In terms of the Iraqi security force’s capabilities to manage internal security issues, I think that’s really good," he said, adding that both Iraqi troops and police still need work.

As security conditions have improved, the mission in Basra has changed to ensuring the rule of law, providing stability and helping local government to be effective, Salmon said.

Iraqi security forces are able to handle any "low-level violence" following Saturday’s provincial elections, and British troops are expected to complete their mission by May 31, he said.

"So essentially there is no relief in place," he said.

"This is a different mission that we’ve been building up; new security conditions; Iraqis are in charge; Brits finish their job off and they redeploy leaving no vacuums."

Read the article on Stars & Stripes

UK troops have met Iraq exit conditions - Reuters

British troops in Iraq have largely met the conditions required for their withdrawal and are on track to begin leaving the country by May 31, a top British commander said on Monday.

Major General Andy Salmon, commander of coalition forces in southeastern Iraq, said the holding of peaceful provincial elections on Saturday met the latest of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's goals for removing Britain's 4,000 troops from Iraq by the end of July.

"In the main, we've completely met the conditions," Salmon told Pentagon reporters in a video link from Basra.

"With that in mind, then, we will see British troops start to transition. They will finish the mission by the 31st of May and British troops will be out of Iraq by the 31st of July."

Two other goals set by Brown were the transfer of Basra's international airport to Iraqi control, which occurred earlier this month, and the rejuvenation of the region's economy.

Salmon said Saturday's elections showed that Iraqi forces are capable of tackling any political violence that might erupt as newly elected provincial council members select new regional governors by the end of March.

He also said the violence has fallen to levels not seen since the start of the war, which has encouraged investment interest.

Regional business leaders have received 17 firm offers of outside investment interest for projects worth $12.8 billion (9 billion pound). Potential investors include British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline and oil giant Shell, he said.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Vicki Allen)

British troops prepare Iraq withdrawal - BBC

ritish troops are training and mentoring the Iraqi army ahead of the final departure of the British Army on 31 July.

As the UK announces its withdrawal from Iraq,an overall judgement of its deployment should be a favourable one.