Retreating

Can we please admit it? We are retreating from Basra because we can't control it. That isn't the soldiers fault: they've done their best. But they don't have the men, the infastructure or equipment to do it. And most importantly the Iraqis don't want to knuckle under. Theres nothing that can be done about that. Militias provide localised government and support to the people on a level the MoD can't match. They therefore take control.

That we failed, for it is a failure, is hardly surprising. As mentioned above there was little to no chance the whole mess could be sorted out by 5,000 blokes and a few Land Rovers. Maybe 50,000 blokes but even then I'd be cautious.

Will the Yanks be pissed? Yup. But so what. Our retreat is exactly the kind of thing they will be doing in a few years. The point is that they have more men and money so it will take longer before they need to retreat. We are just preempting them.