Iraq handover chief: It's good to be home - Portsmouth News

The commander who this week led the withdrawal of troops from Iraq says it is good to be home after landing in Portsmouth.

Major-General Andy Salmon handed military command of the southern province of Basra to the US Army in a ceremony that marked the beginning of the end of Britain's controversial involvement in the Middle Eastern state. Twenty-four hours later he arrived by helicopter at Whale Island, Portsmouth.

Maj-Gen Salmon said their work in Iraq had been an 'incredibly positive'.

'As a result of our work and following our predecessors we have built a foundation for Basra so the people can look forward and make a more stable future where they can have jobs and see developments for their children's future,' he said.

'We worked hard to understand what the needs of the people were and what the Iraqis wanted. We did all these things and the results have been incredibly positive. I can put my hand on my heart and say we've finished this right.'

Since the 2003 US-led invasion, 179 British personnel have died in Iraq and many more have been injured.

Maj-Gen Salmon said that by October last year they could sense a difference in how local people felt more secure.

'Some were saying to us that they had never experienced such freedom for 30 years,' he said. 'They were starting to enjoy themselves and life was getting back to normal.'

In January there were local elections, which Maj-Gen Salmon said had been satisfying.

'The people had safe, secure, fair and free elections and the green shoots were developing.

'We have got a great foundation. It's going to need considerable hard work by the coalition forces, members of the international community, the Iraqi security forces, politicians and the people now to work together and keep it going.'

Maj-Gen Salmon and his command team left Basra at 4.30pm UK time on Tuesday and flew to RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before moving on to Portsmouth to be reunited with their families.

Maj-Gen Salmon said: 'It feels really great to be back with the family, and the weather here is fantastic.

'We will probably have chance to reflect on the achievements.'


COMBAT OPERATIONS TO CEASE

The withdrawal of British troops from Iraq began when Major-General Andy Salmon handed military command of Basra to the US Army.

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still 4,100 British troops in Iraq but they will halt combat operations on May 31 and all but about 400 of them will be withdrawn by July 31.

The handover ceremony in Basra on Tuesday opened with a piper leading the dignitaries to their seats, followed by a performance from the Royal Marines Band.

After prayers and speeches, the pennant of Maj-Gen Salmon's Combined Amphibious Forces was lowered and the pennant of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division was raised.

The most senior US commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, said the handover was a testament to the success of the UK forces.

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”.

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.

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.

Iraqi Army host farewell feast for departing British Forces

General Mohammed, the commander of Iraqi Security Forces in Basra, Iraq’s second city, hosted a farewell feast for the British Forces who will begin their drawdown from Iraq in early April. The feast took place today at the Basra Operations Centre next to the Shatt al Arab waterway in the north of the city.

Major General Andy Salmon, a Royal Marine Commando and commander of the British in South East Iraq, joined General Mohammed and over 250 guests including many key figures from the Iraqi security forces and provincial government.

“I would like to thank the British nation through General Andy for helping rid us of a dictator. The Iraqi Army and people will remember the sacrifices of the British for many years to come,” said General Hawedi Mohammed, Commander of Basra, through an interpreter.

The feast is the first of a number of events that mark the beginning of the departure of British and American combat troops from Iraq. Over the summer the British 20th Armoured Brigade will redeploy back to Germany and two US combat brigades of over 12,000 soldiers will head home signalling the start of a significant transition of coalition forces in Iraq.

“This is a moment to celebrate. That is why we are here. We need to celebrate the achievements of the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police and all the members of the Iraqi Security Forces,” said Major General Andy Salmon.

“Over the last year we have seen the impact of that these very brave men and women have had on Basra and the security in the province.”

“We need to praise the faith of the people of Basra because they put their trust in the Iraqi Security Forces. They turned their back on the militia and violence and they decided they wanted to do something about their future. So they took part in some very successful elections which were free and fair.

“As we sit here now having completed the military tasks we look to the future with a huge amount of optimism which I think reflects the way the people now view life in Basra.”

Britain's role in training and mentoring the 14th Iraqi Army Division is done and the Iraqis are organising and conducting their own operations with minimal British support. Basra is secure and resilient and this has been achieved through the efforts of the Iraqi Security Forces, supported by British and American training teams.

Over the past six years the coalition has worked hard to deliver security to the economic heart of Iraq which has already started to see the benefit of investment and economic growth.

“The people just want, what anyone wants around the world. A future for their children, they want jobs, the delivery of essential services, investment and they want a prosperous future and to live their lives in a normal way, in a way that they haven’t been able to do for the last thirty years,” said Major General Andy Salmon.

Major General Andy Salmon together with his staff will be the first troops to leave Basra. The rest of the British combat troops will leave Iraq by the 31st of July.

Maj Gen Michael Oates said the American military would "pick up where the British forces have left off" in Basra.

"British forces have been our best allies throughout this campaign, and our relationship in several tours that I have had here, has been nothing short of outstanding partnership," he said.

"So it's a bitter-sweet day for me to have them leave, but I'm enormously proud of them, and I think the people of Great Britain should be very proud of their Army. They've done an outstanding job in Basra."

Whilst the combat mission in Iraq will come to an end, Britain is currently discussing with the Iraqi Government what residual capabilities will remain.

Prime Minister Maliki and his senior generals have stated that they would be keen for some training and other specialist tasks to continue into the future.

UK’s Basra mission ’successful’ - BBC

British troops can be proud of a "successful conclusion" to their mission in southern Iraq, their commander has said.

Major General Andy Salmon, the head of British forces in Basra, has said the troops have left the area much safer.

In an interview with the Press Association (PA), Maj Gen Salmon said: "I can put my hand on my heart and say we've finished this right."

"I know that it was a very difficult start - we all know that.

"We know that actually we went through some difficult times."

He said: "So did the US Army, we all went through difficult times.

"We can be proud of our achievements"Major General Andy Salmon

"We stayed the course and we endured, and we partnered with everybody, and seized our opportunities and adapted along the way."

Britain's combat operations in Iraq are due to finish on 31 May, and virtually all of the 4,100 troops in the country will have left Iraq by the end of July.

Maj Gen Salmon will leave Iraq this week, handing with the Basra region handed over to the control of US forces

"We can be proud of our achievements," he said.

"We should be humble but not frightened of spelling out the successful picture that we are looking at now in Basra, albeit there are still a lot of challenges and considerable things that have to be done to make it a stable place."

Muslim protest at Luton Army parade was 'upsetting', says senior officer

The disruption of a homecoming parade of British soldiers by Muslim extremists was "upsetting", a senior British officer has said.

The demonstration was "a total misrepresentation of the reality of what's being done", said Major General Andy Salmon, Britain's most senior officer in Basra.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast programme: "It is always unfortunate to have these kind of protests for soldiers who have just come back from delivering the goods on the ground.

So, yes, it's upsetting, and a total misrepresentation of the reality of what's being done, and the gravity of what's been achieved."

The Prime Minister condemned the protest, which saw two people arrested amid angry scenes as the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment paraded to mark their return from Iraq.
Gordon Brown praised the thousands of people who lined the streets of Luton, Bedfordshire, to show their support for the battalion, known as The Poachers.

But he expressed disappointment that a "tiny minority" of the crowd, who held up banners accusing the soldiers of being "cowards" and "extremists", tried to disrupt the event.

An Army spokesman said the battalion, which was due to take part in a similar march today in Watford, was "deeply touched" by the support despite the disturbance.

In a statement, Mr Brown said: "The whole country is proud of our brave servicemen and women who serve their country with great distinction and courage.

"That pride in our armed forces was shown once again today when thousands turned out to welcome the 2nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment.

"It is therefore disappointing that a tiny minority tried, but ultimately failed, to disrupt today's event. We should all be proud of the outstanding work our armed forces do."

A group of Muslim protesters, who were hemmed in by police as the parade marched past, waved placards with slogans including: "Anglian Soldiers: Butchers of Basra" and "Anglian Soldiers: cowards, killers, extremists".

A number of people staged a counter-demonstration and Bedfordshire Police confirmed two people were arrested for public order offences and taken to Luton police station.

The protests were also condemned by Defence Secretary John Hutton and his Conservative shadow Liam Fox.

Mr Hutton said: "I want to pay tribute to the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment who have served their country with great bravery and professionalism.

"I am grateful to the thousands of people from all walks of life that turned out in Luton today to offer their support and gratitude for the incredible job they do.

"I can only condemn the tiny minority who used this opportunity to make, whatever their personal views, utterly ridiculous and insulting comments to these brave men and women.

"I am extremely pleased to hear this has not in any way detracted from this proud day for the Poachers."

Dr Fox said: "This is offensive, appalling and disgraceful.

"It is only because of the sacrifices made by our armed forces that these people live in a free society where they are able to make their sordid protests."

Maj Gen Salmon, general officer commanding, Multinational Division (South East), was asked how the protest would affect soldiers in Iraq.

He said: "I think they would look at it, and say, that's just unfortunate, and I don't think it really affects what they understand as to what they have achieved themselves. I think they deal with it pretty pragmatically and maturely."

Asked what had been achieved, he said Iraqi people were saying: "We got rid of a dictator, it's been tough over the last six years, we are now in charge of our country, you've allowed us to stand on our own two feet."

It is time for the UK military mission to close down, but that would not be the end of the UK's long-term partnership with the people of Iraq, he said.

"This is a new mission, now, of advice and assistance," he said.

Basra farmers receive tractors, generators

Basra farmers associations received 40 tractors and four generators in Ad Dayr at Camp Sa'ad.
The ceremony, which benefitted the Al Qurna, Al Medina, Shatt Al Arab and Abu Al Khaseeb farmers associations, represents one of 10 projects funded by U.S. commander's emergency response program money for the Basra province agricultural program.

The total cost for the projects is $10 million.

"It used to cost us 75,000 dinars per day for one of these tractors, but after today it should only cost us for the fuel and the driver. I would like to thank (Multi-National Force) for that," said Abd Al Rahman Khalid, a Basra farmer, through an interpreter.

Other agricultural projects that are part of this program reach as far south as Safwan and as far north as Al Qurna and include green houses, irrigation systems and other necessary equipment to support the agricultural redevelopment in Basra.

Sheik Abu Qasay, the head of Basrah Province farmers association, Sayad Galy Muttar, Basrah Provincial Reconstruction Council Chairman and British Maj. Gen. Andy Salmon, the General Officer in Command of Multi-National Division Southeast all spoke at the ceremony.

"This is a wonderful example of a truly joint project where we work together as partners, listen to peoples needs and come together for the people of Iraq and your agricultural associations," said Salmon.

Farming is a traditional industry for southern Iraq and at one time employed up to 50 percent of Basra province residents. Many of the area's farmers currently rely on hand tools due to a shortage of agricultural machinery and power.

This investment in tractors and generators is expected to improve efficiency and the yield of local farmers, who are not presently able to compete with imported agricultural goods from neighbouring countries. The farmers have had little support over the last 25 years but, in the past, Basra was a very productive farming area that produced up to 70 percent of Iraq's, said British Royal Navy Lt. Alan Paton, a Civil Military Operations project officer with Multi-National Division Southeast.

"The idea was if we can help improve their efficiency by providing greenhouses, tractors, irrigation systems then we might be able to make them a little more productive, perhaps potentially stop the flow of farmers away from an industry that has been in southern Iraq for many years," Paton said.

Iraq - so was it worth it? - Telegraph

They were on the verge of humiliation – but now British troops believe they can depart southern Iraq with their mission accomplished. Sean Rayment goes to Basra to assess their legacy.

On a balmy spring evening in early May 2007, a small and isolated British outpost in the centre of Basra was attacked by more than 200 insurgents. The militiamen – followers of the Iranian-backed Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr – had a simple plan: kill all of the 40 soldiers inside the base.

Had it been successful, the attack would have amounted to "strategic failure" for Britain in Iraq, and a retreat from the country would have been inevitable.

For more than four hours, the troops inside the Provincial Joint Coordination Centre (PJCC) fought off wave after wave of attack. Those inside the base later said that the British machine-gun barrels had glowed red after firing more than 9,000 rounds and killing dozens of insurgents.

Although the attack failed, it signalled to the British that the militias had the capability to plan, mount and launch large-scale operations without their knowledge. It was also the first real sign that the Iraqi Army would struggle to control the streets once the British had gone.

Most of the insurgents who took part in that attack almost two years ago came from the Hyaniyah area of Basra, one of the most deprived parts of the city.

But much has changed in Basra in the past 18 months, especially in the Hyaniyah. Where once street battles were fought, today British soldiers are working hand-in-glove with their Iraqi colleagues, opening schools and developing strategies for clearing rubbish. The troops are regarded as heroes and liberators and are greeted with smiles and handshakes from Iraqi civilians.

The transition is, according to both Iraqis and the British, nothing short of stunning. In some areas of the city, the property market is soaring, with some exclusive homes costing $400,000. One local businessman has built a hotel costing $15 million. There are even plans to create the city's first casino.

Major General Andy Salmon, the Commander of the Multinational Division in Basra, believes the war was worth the sacrifice of the 179 British servicemen and women who have so far died fighting in Iraq. He also believes it is now time for the British military to return home.

Maj Gen Salmon, a Royal Marine, has been involved in operations in Iraq for the past 18 years. He will be the last senior British officer to command in southern Iraq.

At the end of March, the long-awaited withdrawal will begin and an estimated 2,500 US troops will replace the British inside the Contingency Operating Base (COB), to be renamed Camp Charlie. By the end of July, virtually all British troops will have pulled out.

"It is a case of mission accomplished," Maj Gen Salmon told The Sunday Telegraph. "The Iraqis now effectively run their own affairs. They control the streets, and the militias have more or less been defeated."

He believes that, with the right investment, Basra could become a major international city, like Dubai. "It's close to Iraq's only deep-water port, it sits at the top of the Persian Gulf, and it has a rail link which extends to the Turkish border, so it's knocking on the door of the EU. I'm very confident that in 10, maybe 20 years' time, this place will be transformed – and a large part of that is down to the British troops who served here.

"We have achieved what we set out to do. We have got the Iraqi 14 Division up and running to manage security by itself. We have handed over Basra International Airport. We have created a secure and stable environment for social and political development to take place.

"Everyone should be rightly proud of what has been achieved. There have been ups and downs but that is the same in any campaign. There is still a lot of work to help investment to take place, and we need to help British investors to get in. The sacrifices of our mates have not been in vain, so in that respect it has been worth it."

But when the last soldier flies out of Basra for the final time, others will question that assessment.

The Iraq War not only divided the nation, it also soured relations with Britain's European allies. The conflict lasted longer than the Second World War, cost the taxpayer in the region of £8 billion and tarnished Tony Blair's legacy; it showed that the US-led coalition had the power to topple a dictatorship but that it lacked the foresight to plan for a lasting peace. It exposed failings in the highest levels of military planning, and the battle for Basra almost left the British armed forces humiliated.

So as the 4,100-strong British force prepares to leave, what is Britain's legacy in southern Iraq?

In 2003, following the Coalition invasion, a region centred on Basra came under British control. Initial joy among the local Shia population at the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime turned to frustration and, on occasion, to violence.

In August 2007, Basra Palace, the British Army's last base in the city, was given up to Iraqi provincial control and the British withdrew to the Contingency Operating Base six miles from the city. The ceremony was sombre. Many British troops had died in the weeks leading up to the handover as the militias, most notably the Jaish al-Mahdi (JAM) led by al-Sadr, fought to seize control of the city.

The controversial pull-out was the end to a politically motivated mission to get British troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible. While the plan looked good on paper, the reality was different.

Within weeks of the British handover, the Iraqi Army in Basra had lost control of the streets – a devastating blow for the British generals who had planned on the assumption that it was a competent fighting force. In Baghdad, American officers accused the British of jeopardising the security of southern Iraq; it was the British Army's lowest point in the entire campaign.

Basra descended into chaos, intimidation and murder were rife, women were executed for merely looking "too western", and the COB faced rocket and mortar attacks almost hourly.

Britain had once prided itself on its counter-insurgency strategy, but the failure to defeat the militias in Basra forced British generals to accept that the lessons they had learnt after 30 years of fighting in Ulster were no longer relevant.

The militias' rule lasted until March 2008 when Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi president, ordered his army to retake the city in "Operation Charge of the Knights". After a series of false starts, the militias were eventually forced out in May last year.

Today, Basra and southern Iraq are both relatively stable. The "monopoly of violence", according to Maj Gen Salmon, is now in the hands of the Iraqi Army.

One of the most competent officers in the Iraqi army is Colonel Khalid, the commander of 26th Brigade's 3rd battalion. The word among the British is that nothing happens on his patch without his knowledge or approval. Colonel Khalid is charged with the responsibility of controlling the Hyaniyah.

Home to around 600,000 people, this former militia stronghold is one of the most impoverished and densely populated areas in the whole of Basra, built by Saddam Hussein to house tens of thousands of Marsh Arabs "cleansed" from their historical home along the Shatt al-Arab. Today, it languishes at the bottom end of Third World poverty. Here, flocks of sheep feed off rubbish piles, unemployment stands at around 40 per cent, and the stench from open sewers, where bare-footed children play, hangs in the air.

"Today, the Hyaniyah is safe," Colonel Khalid told The Sunday Telegraph. "The insurgents have gone. They know that we will arrest them or kill them if they return. Some have been killed, others arrested and some have gone to Iran. The people here do not want them any more."

After the "Charge of the Knights", the British Army returned to Basra to work alongside the Iraqi army in Military Transition Teams (Mitts). Their role is to gently advise the Iraqi army on how to win the consent of the people. Around 850 British troops are still involved in "Mitting" around Basra, but as each day passes the role of the British diminishes.

When Brigadier General Sabah, the commander of 26 Brigade, opened the new Haleema Al Saadeyah school last Saturday, he was greeted by several hundred schoolgirls all screaming "Viva Iraq! Viva Iraq!". The adulation he and his men received is yet further proof of the trust the Iraqi public now has in its army. Once an ill-disciplined and incompetent rabble, today it is a confident and professional force, which has the support of around 97 per cent of the population.

Brig Sabah says he is grateful for the help from the British and for "the sacrifices of your soldiers". But, he says, the time has now come to leave.

"We no longer need any help from anyone. We are not ungrateful, we are thankful to our friends who released us from Saddam's prison. Your sacrifices and our sacrifices have helped us to get to where we are now. But now we can run Basra. We control Basra now."

Despite the optimism, the city's future remains uncertain. There is real concern in and around Basra that the insurgents could profit from growing discontent over the lack of jobs, especially among young males.

On Leaf Island, which lies to the north-west of Basra, Sabbah, a 22-year-old fisherman, complains about the lack of work.

"It is good that the militias have gone. But I have no work – neither do any of my brothers or their friends. If we don't get work soon, the militias will return and they will say 'Come and work for us, we will pay you', and some of the young men will go."

While troops in Basra prepare for the final withdrawal from Iraq, the nation's military chiefs are now focused on an even greater challenge: Afghanistan. The Iraq War and the conflict in Afghanistan are often grouped together but remain very different problems. It is difficult to draw lessons from the Iraq campaign that might also be relevant in Afghanistan because the countries and the insurgencies are vastly different. But one of the reasons why Britain almost lost the Battle of Basra was because there were too few troops on the streets.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said last week that the war in Afghanistan was "not a numbers game". Well, commanders in Iraq disagree. Just about all the senior British officers in Iraq to whom I spoke agreed that more troops needed to be sent to Helmand to ensure that the mistakes made in Iraq should not be repeated in Afghanistan.

Families of British servicemen killed in Iraq to get Government help to visit country - Telegraph

The families of British military perosnnel killed in Iraq will get Government help to visit the country and see improvements in the country their loved ones fought and died for, a defence minister has said.

By James Kirkup in Basra

Bob Ainsworth said seeing that advances in Iraq's society, economy and security will persuade families that "the loss of their sons was not in vain."

British forces will start their final withdrawal from Iraq next month, six years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and cost the lives of 178 British servicemen.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in Iraq, Mr Ainsworth said that in future years, veterans of the British mission and their families will want to visit the country in the same way that Second World War veterans visit the Normandy beaches and other battle sites.

Hailing "dramatic" improvements in the security situation in Basra, Mr Ainsworth also accused opponents of the original invasion for taking a "jaundiced" view of Iraq today and refusing to admit that the country is now making progress.

Iraq's local elections last month passed off without significant violence and British commanders say they will leave confident that the country is on course for stability. Maj Gen Andy Salmon, the senior British officer in Iraq, last week told the Daily Telegraph that Basra is now safer than Manchester.

During his visit to Iraq, Mr Ainsworth was able to walk the streets of Basra, meeting locals and visiting businesses.

Speaking afterwards, he looked forward to the next phase in Britain's relationship with Iraq, forecasting close ties between the two nations because of their "combined history".

"There are going to be a lot of Brits who are going to feel close to this place because they have had experiences here, some good some bad," he said.

"There are going to be people who have lost loved ones here who are going to want to visit. They are going to want to understand Iraq, to see Iraq going forward. They are going to want to think that the loss of their sons was not in vain."

As the security situation improves still further, families and veterans will visit, he said. "There is still going to be an attachment to place."

He added: "As we see with Second World War veterans wanting to visit the D-Day landing sites to see where they were involved and their families wanting to do the same. The same thing is going to happen out here and of course we are going to wind up facilitating that."

Some British soldiers and diplomats in Iraq are frustrated at what they see as the British public's failure to appreciate the significant advances the country has made in recent months.

Mr Ainsworth said that some critics of the 2003 invasion - including Labour MPs - are refusing to admit that life in Iraq is getting better.

"It is difficult when you have been so opposed to the operation in the first place it is very difficult to look at with anything other than jaundiced view from then on," he said. "Some people just think Iraq must be an awful place and they can't see beyond that."

The Government is urging British companies to consider investing in Iraq, but Mr Ainsworth said that outdated fears about security were deterring many firms.

"I think people are blind to the progress to the progress that has been made," he said. "Most people, business people included, have not caught up with the reality."

Mr Ainsworth accepted that some opponents of the war would see any attempt to boost investment as an attempt to "cash in" on the conflict, or even proof that the war was in fact launched to get access to Iraqi oil.

He strongly rejected that argument but added that having lost lives and spent billions of pounds in Iraq, "it would be perverse if we do not seek to develop a good bilateral relationship with Iraq, and of course there is a commercial aspect to that."

For the article on the Telegraph web site click here

Britain hands control of Basra airport to Iraqis - Eurasia Press & News

Britain has formally handed over responsibility for the running of Basra airport to Iraqi authorities, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday, a move that paves the way for Britain to withdraw from Iraq.

The airport, on the outskirts of Iraq’s second largest city in the south of the country, was seized during the U.S.-led invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003.

It has since operated as both a military and a civilian airport, but always been under British military control.

Now, following Thursday’s transfer of authority, Iraqi civilians will be in overall charge of the installation, overseeing both civilian and military operations.

“The Iraqis have been operating their own airport in Basra with minimal involvement from Britain for several months,” said Major General Andy Salmon, the commander of British troops in Iraq.

“From today, they will gain further autonomy, taking over the running of the air traffic control tower… It is clear that Basra International Airport is now an international airport with good potential for future growth.”

Transferring control of the airport was one of three goals Prime Minister Gordon Brown set before Britain could complete its operations in Iraq, where around 4,000 troops remain.

The holding of provincial elections, scheduled for later this month, was another of the goals, and the third was the economic regeneration of Basra and its surrounding provinces.

The remaining 4,000 troops, almost all of whom are stationed at the airport, are due to start withdrawing in the next three months, with the process completed by the end of July, ending a six-year presence.

In the past nine months, Basra has seen steady gains in terms of security and investment, with Shi’ite militia groups far less active in the city and regional businessmen and major international companies seeking out opportunities.

The head of the Basra Development Commission, a British-Iraqi body responsible for drumming up business, believes there could be as much as $9 billion of investment in Basra in the next three years, largely in the oil industry.

Basra, situated not far from the Shatt al-Arab waterway which leads out into the Gulf, has the potential to become a major regional hub, Iraqi and British business leaders say.

As well as the fact that it sits on vast oil reserves, it has a large pool of skilled labor, good research and education establishments and strong transport links, including the airport, which handles 80 to 130 flights a month.

On Thursday, U.S. forces in Iraq came under an Iraqi mandate and in an immediate change, handed over responsibility to Iraqi troops for the Green Zone, a fortified swathe of central Baghdad off limits to most Iraqis, who widely view it as a symbol of foreign military occupation.

To see the full article click here

UK troops to withdraw from Iraq in New Year

Telegraph Exclusive: British combat troops will start withdrawing from Iraq shortly after key local elections held at the end of January, the UK commander in Basra has signalled.

By Thomas Harding in Basra

Planning is far advanced for the withdrawal of the 4,000 soldiers from the Basra area under a move called Operation Drayton, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

The operation will accelerate if the security situation remains stable following the key provincial elections on Jan 31.

Asked if the countdown had begun towards what Gordon Brown called "fundamental mission change" – the code for withdrawal – Major Gen Andy Salmon, the British divisional commander, said that the "clock is ticking nicely".

If the Iraqi 14th Division, which control Basra, manage the elections well, "we will be in a position after that to say that we are pretty much there," he said.

"If we adapt to Iraqi needs then we will avoid outstaying our welcome. Then we will arrive at a mutually agreed position as to when we have met our conditions.

"If the election goes well then our job is heading towards being done. We would have completed our tasks – that is a considerable part of the security issue down here resolved, sorted and completed."

Plans have been drawn up for the British force to be ready to move at 30 days notice when the signal comes from London. The signal date is likely to be beneficial to the Government.

The first battalions could leave Iraq by as early as March, military sources have disclosed.

read the full article online at the Telegraph website

Basra secure, British forces say

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

MP strolls around downtown Basra

Dr Liam Fox had a stroll around downtown Basra witnessing for himself, the improved security situation in the city.
An early morning helicopter trip into the Basra Operations Centre allowed the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence to meet with Major General Mohammed, the Basra Security Forces Commander, before taking a leisurely walk along the Sha’at al Arab riverside.