WAR: Britain Agrees to U.S. Troops Request, page 1

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 07:40 AM

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The British government has agreed to a U.S. request to move some of their troops to the more volatile central Iraq. The move is being made to free up more U.S. troops to continue the attack on insurgents. The announcement was made by Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon to the House of Commons

story.news.yahoo.com
LONDON - Britain agreed Thursday to meet a U.S. request for British troops to be moved into volatile central Iraq, a proposal that has met strong opposition within the governing Labour Party.

The redeployment of troops from the relatively peaceful south aims at freeing up American forces to intensify attacks on insurgents as the coalition tries to stabilize Iraq ahead of elections in January.

"After careful evaluation, the chiefs of staff have advised me that U.K. forces are able to undertake the proposed operation, that there is a compelling military operational justification for doing so, and that it entails a militarily acceptable level of risk for U.K. forces," Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told the House of Commons.

Hoon said there were no plans to raise British troop numbers within Iraq.

U.S. military commanders asked on Oct. 10 whether Britain would send a unit currently stationed in southern Iraq to the U.S.-controlled sector farther north.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The unit to be moved is an armored group of 850 soldiers from the First Battalion Black Watch. The deployment is expected to last several weeks. Hoon, declined to comment on the specifics of the move citing operational security. While they were moving the troops, he was careful to say they had no plans of increasing their overall number of troops in Iraq. Opposition in the House of Commons was fierce to the move. Many British politicians felt that the move was a political one to help President Bush.
[edit on 10/21/04 by FredT]

[edit on 10/21/04 by FredT]

Kidfinger

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 07:45 AM

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Thank you for the help! God knows we are in such a mess-o-potamia over there (Yes, John Stewart is god!) that without help, Iraq would be no better off than before we invaded. Agian, I thank our allies from accross the pond

We would honestly be in a world of crap if it wasnt for you guys. Thanks

andersonr

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 10:03 AM

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No worries , (Speaking on behalf of the Guys(and girls) out there..

We're glad to help out just wish we could all be home for Christmas
and the People of Iraq could have peace this Christmas time .....
Time Heals everthing !

Kidfinger

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 10:09 AM

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Just wanted to say there are Americans out there woh really appreciate what you are doing for us, and everyone else. We have asked of you the ultimate sacrifice, and you have answered as an ally

You speak as if you are there. Are you? If so, care to share some news we dont get?

curme

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 10:19 AM

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I have a theory that Tony Blair is supporting Bush, regardless what his country thinks, so he can get into the Carlye Group like his predecessor, John Major.

FredT

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 10:24 AM

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Originally posted by curme
I have a theory that Tony Blair is supporting Bush, regardless what his country thinks, so he can get into the Carlye Group like his predecessor, John Major.

That is an interesting theory. I think though, I think Blair will be a shoe in regardless of who would win or if he supported Bush or Kerry. The Carlyle groups stretches its tentacles pretty far and wide and Blair would fit the bill nicely in thier fold.

SE7EN

posted on Oct, 21 2004 @ 06:48 PM

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Ah those famous words we will be all home for Christmas Last time I heard that was during the last world war. And you know what I don�t think those troops of black watch will be home for Christmas maybe some might but not all. Next is why do the Americans want our troops to be in a hot zone area is it because we are adapted to these conditions and are better then us military at this job. I would say yes but in doing so there dragging us into the mud. America has more than enough troops to cover this problem they say they have and we know this. All I can think of is that some of these troops will be coming home for Christmas but in a wooden box not a nice gift for the family of that person is it.

mattpryor

posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 03:11 AM

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Originally posted by curme
I have a theory that Tony Blair is supporting Bush, regardless what his country thinks, so he can get into the Carlye Group like his predecessor, John Major.

This is what loads of his own MPs have been prattling on about this week - the implication being that our government is deploying troops as some bizarre political stunt to help out George W.

You may remember that in August Tony Blair declined to visit the US to receive his Medal of Honour for precisely this reason - too close to the Presidential elections and he didn't want to appear to be lending support to one side or the other.

This is an operational decision - nothing more. People who read more into it tend to be the same people who want to see British troops pulled from Iraq altogether...

Corinthas

posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 03:35 AM

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Oh and that was a surprise?

If we ever say no again the US will just take old adolf out of the feezer and put him in 10 Downing street..

No seriously though there was no decision here, there are some binding agreements made after the war that leaves Britain with out much of an independant foreign policy.

mattpryor

posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 05:14 AM

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This has nothing to do with foreign policy, this has to do with tactical military operations. That's why Geoff Hoon made the announcement and not Jack Straw.

You should also remember that ALL coalition troops in Iraq are under overall US control and have been since the very beginning of this conflict when Tommy Franks was in charge.

America has more than enough troops to cover this problem they say they have and we know this

Not true - only about a third of the 135,000 US troops in Iraq have the necessary combat capability for this type of operation - the rest is comprised of logistics and supporting units. And of that third even less have the armour that's required. Also Black Watch is a very capable and well equipped unit that's hardly been utilized since the end of August.

I have my doubts about the "home by Christmas" claims made by our governemnt. I always get cross when politicians make statements like this, when they don't know what is going to happen between now and then. It puts undue pressure and unnecessary deadlines on the military.

rm172

posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 06:35 AM

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Though I am not particularly in agreement with this war, I cannot believe we even thought about not helping the Americans, how would it be if our troops needed help from the Americans at a later date and they then declined to help? We are allies after all.

mattpryor

posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 07:12 AM

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Totally agree with rm172 - although I don't think there was any question of us not helping this time round, it was just a question of handling it politically. It's a convenient political football for those who said they supported the war in the first place but now want to score cheap points on operational details. Sad if you ask me.

SE7EN

posted on Oct, 23 2004 @ 09:31 PM

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Some of this may conflict with what I have said above but this is only one mans opinion and I feel the same way as he does. I do not hate the US troops or anything they are our allies and I respect that. But he does show in the words he says how we do things differently and how it can pay off in the long run to some degree.

BBC NEWS

mattpryor

posted on Oct, 25 2004 @ 08:40 AM

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Yeah I have to say I'm getting a bit fed up with these smug "We do it better" articles that are popping up in the British media at the moment.

Of course the British style in the south is different to the US approach in the north - the circumstances are entirely different, and we've adapted to them.

SE7EN

posted on Oct, 25 2004 @ 03:37 PM

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What by useing what I would call bully boy tactics The british have way more experiance in any of these matters. We had to and still do deal with the Ireland, problems that's why we are more suited to street battels and built up areas. And how we are able to handel things better in Iraq, the americans only brought on such problems themselves and that's why were being sent in to ease up some of the problems.