'Withdrawal of troops from Iraq is not defeat '

London, Sept 4: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has insisted that the withdrawal of British troops from the southern Iraqi city of Basra should not be projected as a defeat of British forces in that country.The Prime Minister said the operation was part of a 'pre-planned and organised' effort to hand over control to the Iraqis.

According to the Daily Mail, military sources have conceded that Britain's overstretched forces had effectively been forced to 'do a runner' from Basra city centre following an upsurge in attacks on servicemen.

Brown, however, told the BBC's Today programme: "Let me make this very clear. This is pre-planned, and this is an organised move from Basra Palace to Basra Air Station. This is essentially a move from where we were in a combat role in four provinces, and now we are moving over time to being in an overwatch role."

The withdrawal was completed a few hours before President Bush arrived in the country on a surprise visit. He flew in to the remote desert al-Asad Air Base west of Baghdad to bolster his case that the buildup of US troops is helping to stabilise the country.

Bush last visited Iraq 15 months ago. He was joined by a team of top advisers, including National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and press secretary Dana Perino for a 'council of war'.

The President used his address to US troops to launch an attack on 'nervous' politicians who pay too much attention to opinion polls.

"When we begin to draw down troops on the ground, it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure," he said.

While his attack was aimed primarily at Washington, it also coincided with the British withdrawal.

Bush insisted that the US presence in Iraq had been a success.

"America does not abandon its friends. America will not abandon the Iraqi people," he said.

Over the past year British forces have handed over control of three Iraqi southern provinces, with only Basra province remaining under their control.
The Ministry of Defence added that the handover of Basra province was now due later this year, which would leave troops with the role of 'overwatching' the Iraqis and protecting the supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad.

ANI >