Some British expect ‘humiliating’ retreat from Basra
I have to roll my eyes every time I hear some anti-war liberal claim that a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq will be bloodless, because the people will so darn happy to see us going that they’ll be dancing in the streets and showering us with good wishes. I couldn’t find a good link, but I know I’ve seen it in the Democratic Underground.
Here’s a little lesson for those fools. From the Times Online:
A MILITARY adviser to President George W Bush has warned that British forces will have to fight their way out of Iraq in an “ugly and embarrassing” retreat.
Stephen Biddle, who also advises the US commander in Iraq, said Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias in the south would try to create the impression they were forcing a retreat. “They want to make it clear they have forced the British out. That means they’ll use car bombs, ambushes, RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] . . . and there will be a number of British casualties.”
For any liberals out there who think this is hogwash, allow me to illustrate this phenomenon through personal experience. While I was in Iraq, the U.S. Army shut down a FOB north of my own. In the days and weeks leading up the withdrawal, Jihad Johnny figured out what was about to happen, and poured mortar and rocket fire on that FOB unceasingly up until the day that the last American soldier left the base. Several people died or were injured, including many civilians on the base. All of this was a propaganda move by the local insurgents, to make the locals think they had forced the withdrawal.
Now, how do you think a withdrawal of 150,000 soldiers and about 100,000 civilian contractors is going to go? Do you really think it will be bloodless? Not everyone can fly out. There’s thousands of pieces of rolling stock over there, not to mention billions of dollars worth of gear that doesn’t drive itself. A substantial number of personnel will have to drive out, over hundreds of miles, with plenty of jihadis between there and the Iraq border. The FOBs, once identified as closing down, will be showered with indirect fire until the last American leaves. Then, anyone who worked there will be attacked or killed.
Some British officers believe they are facing a “humiliating” retreat under fire to Kuwait or the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.
“I regret to say that the Basra experience is set to become a major blunder in terms of military history,” said a senior officer. “The insurgents are calling the shots . . . and in a worst-case scenario will chase us out of southern Iraq.”
And they’ll be chasing us out of the rest of that country.
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i have a penpal in Basra - he says it is constant mortar attacks these days…