Brits to Begin Withdrawal From Iraq

The Brits are making plans to begin withdrawing their troops from Southern Iraq:

Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq.

Mr Blair is set to make a statement about the 7,000 British troops serving in Iraq at the Commons.

The BBC's James Landale said 1,500 troops were expected to return home in months, rising to 3,000 by Christmas.
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Mr Johndroe said: "While the United Kingdom is maintaining a robust force in southern Iraq, we're pleased that conditions in Basra have improved sufficiently that they are able to transition more control to the Iraqis.

"The United States shares the same goal of turning responsibility over to the Iraqi Security Forces and reducing the number of American troops in Iraq."

However, Mr Bush's opponents strategy have seized on Britain's move and are using it to attack the president.

Former Democratic party presidential candidate Senator John Kerry said that after years of touting Mr Blair's resolve, the administration should now pay attention to his new policy.

I'm sure it never occurred to Sen. Kerry that the situation in Southern Iraq might be a little different than the situation in Baghdad. But then, there's not much about Iraq that Sen. Kerry understands.

If the Brits have got things down south in good shape, good for them and thanks for the service. They've been a great ally in Iraq.