Will Tony Blair’s decision to begin withdrawing our troops from Iraq spare 
Prince Harry from being sent to the frontline? What a huge relief that will be for the royal family.
With Denmark following suit, maybe Lithuania too, I wonder what Bush really thinks about this. When will American troops begin to return home for good? No sight of that yet as he has just sent another 21,000 troops to Iraq. How isolated will the coalition withdrawal make them feel?
I am delighted this is happening, I was appalled by our lack of strategy following the invasion, the deliberate lies told about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, though exalted at Saddam Hussein capture, and yes, his death was necessary. Yet daily life in Iraq is still one of bloodshed and carnage. I simply have no idea how this will ever, if ever, be resolved.
A total of 132 British troops have so far died in Iraq, and more than 3,000 U.S. troops have been killed. There have been so many other wasted lives too, do you remember those tense, desperate moments of futile negotiations to secure the release of Ken Bigley and Margaret Hassan? They will remain etched in my mind for ever.There was also the tragic death of David Kelly driven to the edge. And there are countless more victims we hear nothing about.
What are your views about Blair’s decision to begin withdrawing our troops? Is the time right, and what will it mean to Bush?
Update: Prince Harry could well be on the way to Iraq. MPs to be told of his deployment.
I supported the invasion and continue to support our troops .I really like the balance you have given this Ellee it is a subject on which one gets used to listening to tiresome nonsense but I think you have been very fair.
( Which should worry you)
Newmania, My views are always my own, though naturally aligned towards a shade of blue. But I am always Ellee Seymour first and foremost. Then as a journalist, I may have a different perspective on issues, so I just go with the flow…
It is a military neccessity, I suspect that the Generals have forced the issue, we have not enough men,helicopters or equipment on the ground, and the resupply of essential spares and ammunition has been appalling. There was no post invasion plan, and disarming the Iraqi Army and standing the Civil Administration down was a huge mistake.
As to Prince Harry, he is a serving officer and should take his chances like every other officer. If he is a liability he should not be in the services.
I hope our Canadian troops follow suit. Unfortunately I think our new Prime Minister is a bit pro-Bush. Hopefully he doesn`t stay in power long.
tea
xo
Tragic waste whichever way we look at it.
I think it is high time. I was against the invasion from the start but since we did send our troops, there should have been a clear strategy and vision. I don’t care about Prince Harry. He would have been kept away from any “real” action – as if the soldiers on either side of him wouldn’t have been his bodyguards, anyway.
Ellee, I share your delight. As for His Royal Highness, I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot for him not to go. I have heard it suggested that he might go out there but be given a logistics function (euphemism for office job) in a safe area.
I know Harry is a security headache, and secretly, the army will do anything to stop him going to the front line.
In hindsight it might have been better to lift the sanctions on Saddam and start re-arming him in return for his oil.
They probably have no choice but to withdraw. There’s absolutely nothing they can do in the long term. Iraq will probably end up a Shi’ite fundamentalist state like Iran.
Myself I had no opinion on the rights or wrongs of the invasion. I think the reasons we were given were drivel, but I could why it made sense not to have 80% of the world’s oil controlled by an enemy of the west. Still, as it hasn’t panned out- it was a huge miscalculation we should get out and maintain some dignity intact before we flee with our tails between our legs, like happened in Vietnam (or Israel in 1947).
I also admit I have much more time for Dubya than a lot of people.
As regards young Harry, surely an army career would make his father proud?
I am glad UK troops realised that with force they can not achieve anything in Iraq even with or without Saddam. I hope Mr. Bush will realise the same soon.
Is it a withdrawal? Or a draw-down? i.e. withdrawing as in retreat, or draw down as in “job done” Iraqi forces to take over, now they are trained?
Australia is sending 70 more trainers to teach Iraqi soldiers…
What should we do? We created the vacuum, should we stay and finish it? or hit and run, saying “ooppss sorry our mistake”
which ever way we turn we have F%^&ed up.