Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal
August 14, 2008
Pg. 5
By Yochi J. Dreazen
BAGHDAD -- U.S. commanders have developed a plan to extend the military's reach deep into southern Iraq as British forces stationed in the oil-rich city of Basra prepare to leave the country.
The plan, if implemented, would result in the U.S. controlling Iraq's second-biggest city for the first time since the 2003 invasion. It would also accelerate the trend of the U.S. taking more responsibility for the war effort as troops from other countries withdraw.
Military officials cautioned that no decisions have been made and that the proposed Basra shift would need to be approved by the American, Iraqi and British governments. "Based on the conditions on the ground, units may be repositioned or adjusted in order to meet the security requirements or mission for a particular area," said Col. Bill Buckner, an American military spokesman. "At this point there are too many factors to project unit moves."
Still, a number of U.S. commanders said the plan had strong high-level support in Baghdad and was likely to be implemented early in 2009.
The proposal highlights the new reality in Basra in the wake of an Iraqi-led assault last spring that cleansed the country's second-largest city of the Shiite militants who long held sway there. The city, a vital oil center, is now controlled by the Iraqi army, and the British government has made clear that it hopes to withdraw most of its 4,100 troops next year.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been critical of the British effort in Basra, and U.S. and Iraqi officials believe American troops would be better equipped to preserve the city's recent security gains than the British forces, according to people familiar with the deliberations. British troops have long had a hands-off approach to Basra, which is blamed for allowing militias to take control of the city.
"It will give us a much better range of command and control in the area," one senior U.S. commander said. The plan would add to the continuing influx of American military personnel into Basra.
Hundreds of American military advisers and other personnel rushed to the city earlier this year alongside the Iraqi units assigned to Operation Charge of the Knights, the assault that ultimately wrested control of the city away from militants loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Many of those advisers remain in the city, and hundreds of American military police personnel have been arriving in Basra in recent weeks as part of an effort to train Basra's corrupt and ineffectual police force.
The proposals call for Multi-National Division-Center, the American command responsible for central Iraq, to extend its authority to Basra.
Officials familiar with the plan said the hundreds of military personnel assigned to the command, which is led by a two-star American general, would physically relocate to Basra, though the officials said there was a small possibility that the headquarters would remain near Baghdad's airport.
Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, the division's commander, said the U.S. had contingency plans in place in case the continuing negotiations between London and Baghdad result in a decision to withdraw most British forces early next year.
"If those negotiations result in the British departure from Iraq -- and that's a big if -- one of our contingencies would be how we address Basra," he said. "And I think we'll factor into that."
Gen. Oates noted that his command was already slated to assume responsibility for the southern province of Qadasiyah in early October when Poland withdraws its last remaining troops.
Still, Gen. Oates stressed that no final decisions about a move to Basra had yet been made. "In terms of taking over the province, I've not been directed to do that," he said.
Maj. Paul Smyth, a spokesman for the British forces in Basra, said that he couldn't comment on future military planning but noted that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has talked about a "fundamental change of mission" in Basra in early 2009. "Iraqi forces are in the lead here, and that is absolutely key for us," he said.
In an interview earlier this month, Maj. Gen. Barney White-Spunner, the top British commander in Basra, said improvements in the Iraqi security forces meant that the U.K. could soon shift to "a long-term military training" mission in Basra. Such a mission could be accomplished with a fraction of the British contingent now in Basra, according to other senior U.K. officials in the city.
The likely British drawdown would further shrink the U.S.-led coalition here. Georgia had the third-largest foreign contingent in Iraq, but it rushed its troops home this week to help fight the Russians.
Australia is in the process of withdrawing almost half of its 1,400 military personnel, Poland plans to withdraw its 900 troops by this fall, and El Salvador just announced plans to cut its contingent to 200 from 280 troops.
August 14, 2008
Pg. 5
By Yochi J. Dreazen
BAGHDAD -- U.S. commanders have developed a plan to extend the military's reach deep into southern Iraq as British forces stationed in the oil-rich city of Basra prepare to leave the country.
The plan, if implemented, would result in the U.S. controlling Iraq's second-biggest city for the first time since the 2003 invasion. It would also accelerate the trend of the U.S. taking more responsibility for the war effort as troops from other countries withdraw.
Military officials cautioned that no decisions have been made and that the proposed Basra shift would need to be approved by the American, Iraqi and British governments. "Based on the conditions on the ground, units may be repositioned or adjusted in order to meet the security requirements or mission for a particular area," said Col. Bill Buckner, an American military spokesman. "At this point there are too many factors to project unit moves."
Still, a number of U.S. commanders said the plan had strong high-level support in Baghdad and was likely to be implemented early in 2009.
The proposal highlights the new reality in Basra in the wake of an Iraqi-led assault last spring that cleansed the country's second-largest city of the Shiite militants who long held sway there. The city, a vital oil center, is now controlled by the Iraqi army, and the British government has made clear that it hopes to withdraw most of its 4,100 troops next year.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been critical of the British effort in Basra, and U.S. and Iraqi officials believe American troops would be better equipped to preserve the city's recent security gains than the British forces, according to people familiar with the deliberations. British troops have long had a hands-off approach to Basra, which is blamed for allowing militias to take control of the city.
"It will give us a much better range of command and control in the area," one senior U.S. commander said. The plan would add to the continuing influx of American military personnel into Basra.
Hundreds of American military advisers and other personnel rushed to the city earlier this year alongside the Iraqi units assigned to Operation Charge of the Knights, the assault that ultimately wrested control of the city away from militants loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Many of those advisers remain in the city, and hundreds of American military police personnel have been arriving in Basra in recent weeks as part of an effort to train Basra's corrupt and ineffectual police force.
The proposals call for Multi-National Division-Center, the American command responsible for central Iraq, to extend its authority to Basra.
Officials familiar with the plan said the hundreds of military personnel assigned to the command, which is led by a two-star American general, would physically relocate to Basra, though the officials said there was a small possibility that the headquarters would remain near Baghdad's airport.
Maj. Gen. Michael Oates, the division's commander, said the U.S. had contingency plans in place in case the continuing negotiations between London and Baghdad result in a decision to withdraw most British forces early next year.
"If those negotiations result in the British departure from Iraq -- and that's a big if -- one of our contingencies would be how we address Basra," he said. "And I think we'll factor into that."
Gen. Oates noted that his command was already slated to assume responsibility for the southern province of Qadasiyah in early October when Poland withdraws its last remaining troops.
Still, Gen. Oates stressed that no final decisions about a move to Basra had yet been made. "In terms of taking over the province, I've not been directed to do that," he said.
Maj. Paul Smyth, a spokesman for the British forces in Basra, said that he couldn't comment on future military planning but noted that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has talked about a "fundamental change of mission" in Basra in early 2009. "Iraqi forces are in the lead here, and that is absolutely key for us," he said.
In an interview earlier this month, Maj. Gen. Barney White-Spunner, the top British commander in Basra, said improvements in the Iraqi security forces meant that the U.K. could soon shift to "a long-term military training" mission in Basra. Such a mission could be accomplished with a fraction of the British contingent now in Basra, according to other senior U.K. officials in the city.
The likely British drawdown would further shrink the U.S.-led coalition here. Georgia had the third-largest foreign contingent in Iraq, but it rushed its troops home this week to help fight the Russians.
Australia is in the process of withdrawing almost half of its 1,400 military personnel, Poland plans to withdraw its 900 troops by this fall, and El Salvador just announced plans to cut its contingent to 200 from 280 troops.
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