BAGHDAD, Dec. 16, 2007
Britain Hands Over Basra Security To Iraq
Many Worry A Power Vacuum Could Leave The Region Susceptible To Return Of Violence
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Play CBS Video Video Basra Given Back To Iraqis British forces have handed over security control of the Basra Province to the Iraqis. CBS News Military Analyst Mike Lyons weighs in on the shift in power.
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British soldiers stand by armored combat vehicles in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, in this file photo dated Friday Oct. 7, 2005. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
The commander of British forces in Basra, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns, said soldiers had successfully wrested the region from the grip of its enemies.
"I now formally hand it back to its friends," Binns said shortly before he, Basra's governor and the Iraqi commander added their signatures to the papers giving Iraq formal control of the far southern province.
Mowafaq al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, said Iraq was ready.
"The security improvements didn't come from nothing, but were the result of huge efforts from both the government and Iraqi people in fighting terrorism, extremism, militias and outlaws," al-Rubaie said.
Basra's city center was festooned with flags, lights and banners to mark the occasion. But U.S. officials worry that a power vacuum could heighten the influence of Iran and threaten land routes used by the Americans to bring ammunition, food and other supplies from Kuwait to troops to the north.
Basra's governor, Mohammad al-Waili, said the Iraqis were ready to take over security.
"They are completely prepared to deal with this issue," al-Waili said.
In Baghdad, there was some skepticism that Iraqi forces were ready to take control in Basra, but many agreed that the handover was a positive sign.
"I hope it will be followed by similar steps across the country. Such steps are good for Iraqis," said Awatif Qazaz, a Baghdadi woman.
But Osama Juwad said he feared the security forces were infiltrated by militias.
Britain's participation in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the ongoing presence of troops is deeply unpopular in Britain - as is the $12 billion annual cost of operations there. A total of 174 British personnel have died in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.
British officials have said they will retain the ability to help Iraqi troops quickly if widespread violence erupts, but they are also reducing the number of troops in the country from 4,500 to 2,000 by spring. In the months soon after Saddam Hussein was toppled, there were about 40,000 British troops in Iraq.
The main players in Basra and southern Iraq are the powerful Shiite entities - the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia; Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, leader the largest Shiite political party and the Badr Brigade militia, which has largely been absorbed into the Iraqi security forces; and the Fadhila party, which also has its own fighters and a member as Basra's governor.
Basra police chief Maj. Gen. Jalil Khalaf survived two assassination attempts in a single week last month and has accused religious vigilante militias of terrorizing women and Christians in the city.
In other developments:
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 74 CommentsToo bad he can''''t control it.
Watch this, HEY McVet - You''''re not a real Marine! REAL MARINES know how not to whine.
See - no more azz.
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Posted by speakinup
Indeed. I have serious doubts about his veteran status. With his current mental position, and if he was a Marine, he was probably drubbed out of the Corp under a chapter that covers instability.
Posted by mbcsmith
So true. From FDR to Hillary. Man, talk about a down hill slide! That''s a freakin CLIFF!!!
FDR was a LEADER. A man of vision! Hillary will tell them ANYTHING they want to hear, and speaks of NOTHING until she reads the latest poll on the subject.
As a leader, she''d be looking in the rear view mirror for how to run the country.
Too bad he can''t control it.
Watch this, HEY McVet - You''re not a real Marine! REAL MARINES know how not to whine.
See - no more azz.
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Posted by MCVet
Who am I? Hey SPARKY, ROFLMAO Nazi creep ROFLMAO ROFLMAO get it together there SPARKY, I''ma combat vet ROFLMAO ROFLMAO.........SEIG HEIL BUSH ROFLMAO ROFLMAO....
HAHAHAHAHA.....you ***.
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Posted by MCVet
ROFLMAO??? Are you some kind of dork or something?
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Posted by poopusbuttus at 08:48 AM : Dec 17, 2007
+ report abuse
ROFLMAO I think what he''s trying to tell you swastika breath is that it was NOT NECESSARY!! THE MONEY SPENT WAS BORROWED AND OUR KIDS WILL PAY IT BACK and the REASONS were LIES!! THERE WERE NO WEAPONS!! There WAS no Connection to BIN LADEN. God but you fascist are so simple minded. Just follow the fuhrer to the bunker... never mind about the lies, never mind about the rush to war, never mind about all the son''s and fathers who will not be there this Christmas, the Fuhrer HAS to look good. ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush!! Come on you pointed headed Nazi, sing it out!! SIEG HEIL MEIN FUHRER!! ROFLMAO
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Posted by MCVet
MCRETARD -- Perhaps you should give your friend a little advice to calm down.....he''s about ready to have an annurism.
I wonder why that is? Perhaps it''s the Bush Derangement Syndrome again. HAHAHAHAHAHA
You bunch of worthless idiots....
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Posted by poopusbuttus at 06:32 AM : Dec 17, 2007
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ROFLMAO Yeah I know.. what''s Sir Lies-A-Lot up to now??? Oh Wow! He''s all the way up to 31% in approval... ROFLMAO Look Sparky, you can LIE to the people and get them into a War. You can LIE to the people about that War and get away with it for awhile. But when they figure out that you in fact DID lie them into a useless war and that you in fact did LIE to them about that war, there''s little chance, no matter what you do, that you will convince them you were right. Sieg Heil Bush!! ROFLMAO
Posted by SKYKE
Oh, I dont know skyke...perhaps your insistant "yapping" about the Trillion dollars spent as if that meant anything coming from you. You brought the money figure up...I''m just addressing your money figure and comparing it to WWII.
So, I guess my question to you is, why do you bring up the TRILLIONS spent? Do you think wars are free?
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Posted by skyk at 08:42 AM : Dec 17, 2007
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Hey Bro! Semper Fi! Not used to seeing this kind of emotions out of you... did that Nazi get under your skin? ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush!!
Get what I''''m sayin? But hey, it''''s SKYKe....so, you probably dont.
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Posted by poopusbuttus at 08:36 AM : Dec 17, 2007
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What does that have to do with this debate? The fact is that YOU and this INCOMPETENT excuse of a President have been telling us NOTHING but LIES for SIX LONG years and have spent ONE TRILLION Dollars we do NOT have trying to control a nation that didn''t have Weapons nor posed ANY threat to this nation. Now all the while the REAL Enemy, you do remember the guy who ACTUALLY attacked us don''t you? Well he''s used the stupidity of this action to COMPLETELY rebuild his organization to PRE attack strenght. Maybe YOU don''t think that''s LOSING but most Vets will tell you it''s called a ROYAL BUTT WHOOPIN!!
They have pretty much shut up about that - too embarrassed I guess. Well, don''''''''t be a stranger..."
Posted by speakinup
You have a very strange memory my friend. IF it weren''t for American''s that YOU call "Lib''s", we''d still have Rummy as Defense Secretary and all we''d be hearing from the Worst President in US History would be "Stay the Course". You don''t remember what he was saying BEFORE the American People put Democrats in charge? I don''t know if this is going to work out... only time will tell, but I haven''t seen any of those bench marks being met by the Government and EVERY expert agrees that IF that doesn''t happen this is just a lull in the action. Since you folks haven''t been right about this YET, maybe you shouldn''t be sling mud and hatred right now??? Humm??
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Posted by skyk
Man, just think of the Trillions and Trillions of dollars we have, and still are, spending since WWII.
Get what I''m sayin? But hey, it''s SKYKe....so, you probably dont.
Posted by SBB2211 at 09:32 PM : Dec 16, 2007
Such a strange statement...concidering the History of this nation and the quagmire called Iraq... very strange that anyone would attack those who have been so right for so long. Strange indeed!!
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Posted by poopusbuttus at 06:32 AM : Dec 17, 2007
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You folks have been saying this for SIX years now...at a cost of ONE TRILLION Dollars... Maybe you should start addressing the LIES that got us into it don''t you think?
Related:
"British Leave Iraqi Base; Militia Supporters Jubilant"
The Washington Post
Friday 25 August 2006
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/082506O.shtml
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