Iraqi Offensive Draws Extra Forces To Basra

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Financial Times
April 24, 2008 By Demetri Sevastopulo, Stephen Fidler and Alex Barker
The US military presence in Basra has grown to 800 troops as its soldiers provide increased support to an Iraqi government offensive against militias, according to coalition military officials.
Until Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, launched his “Charge of the Knights” offensive against Basra militias last month, the US had very few troops in the area, mainly because previously the UK had responsibility for the key southern port city.
The British handed over security to Iraqi forces in December and pulled back 4,100 soldiers to Basra ­airport, where they are ­performing “overwatch”, as Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, described the mission last week during a visit to Washington.
British officials previously insisted that the drawdown in Iraq and relocation of the remaining 4,100 soldiers would not force the US to divert forces from other areas where they are tackling Sunni insurgents.
However, Mr Maliki’s campaign has resulted in US troops deploying to Basra and left the UK with no choice but to provide additional support to the operation. One person familiar with US military planning in Iraq said the “fiasco” started by Mr Maliki had “forced the hand of the British” to support the Iraqi government, in addition to the current core mission of training Iraqi forces.
While the US also has ­special forces operating in Basra, its military officials say, the 800 regular troops are engaged in a range of support missions, including providing air cover, military advice, liaison functions, communications and planning. They are also supporting civil-military operations and humanitarian projects.
While some critics have questioned the UK presence in Iraq, saying the soldiers are doing little more than protecting themselves, US and UK officials play down suggestions that the US presence in Basra is prompted by limited British capability. They point out, for example, that many of the US troops were already working elsewhere with the Iraqi units that deployed to Basra.
One senior US military official said British forces had “contributed enormously and in innumerable ways” and were working with US, Iraqi and other ­coalition forces to support the operation launched by Mr Maliki.
“We are providing the Mitt [military transition] teams for the divisions we train in Basra and this includes providing logistic support,” said a UK military official. “There is much more activity and much better situational awareness.”
Of the 4,100 UK troops in the vicinity of Basra, UK defence officials said, about 150 were complementing the 800 US troops working with the Iraqis.
Mr Maliki’s offensive also forced the UK to halt plans to reduce troop levels to about 2,500. British diplomats say their main concern has been that US forces would have had to “backfill” in southern Iraq as British forces left, a development they would consider a huge “loss of face”.
The British diplomats said the recent decision to “pause” the UK drawdown at 4,000 troops headed off pressure building within the US administration to send reinforcements. But both sides are exploring more creative and less visible ways to support efforts in Basra without undermining the British position, officials said.
 
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