Britain faces Iraq rout

[wendigo100]

Britain faces Iraq rout

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 the view from the bunker...

The Ministry of Defence said the British were not heading for defeat. “Although the militias are trying to claim credit for ‘driving us out’, they are failing.”

[Diver]

They will have to pull in every bit of air support and artillery they can lay their hands on for a covered retreat.
At best it is going to be an enfiladed retreat and they are going to lose not a few men.
There best choice is a retreat through unpopulated area,s where greatest force of arms can be brought to bear with minimal risk to the civilian population.
A well armored diversionary force off from the main route could be used to draw enemy combatants and firepower away from the more vulnerable retreating main unit.
Whatever happens, it is not going to be pretty and a lot of our young men are going to die.

[GreenerGrass]

This is one of the many ironies of the invasion, the USA's no. 1 enemy Iran now has a Shia proxy state in all but name in the south of Iraq.
There aren't many Sunnis about, so the British serve no purpose whatsoever being there, other than to be shot at.
Unlike further north the "insurgents" are all rival Shia militias, not Al Queda or Sunni guerillas.

They need to stop peddling the whole "if we pull out now it will collapse" myth, no one wants them there at all.
Saving their lives and the lives of civilians in this country should take priority over military pride and national embarrasment.
There is no such thing as the "Iraqi people" anymore, if there ever was, its basically three different main tribes who can't stand each other thanks to history.

[EternalOptimist]

They will have to pull in every bit of air support and artillery they can lay their hands on for a covered retreat.
At best it is going to be an enfiladed retreat and they are going to lose not a few men.
There best choice is a retreat through unpopulated area,s where greatest force of arms can be brought to bear with minimal risk to the civilian population.
A well armored diversionary force off from the main route could be used to draw enemy combatants and firepower away from the more vulnerable retreating main unit.
Whatever happens, it is not going to be pretty and a lot of our young men are going to die.

You are, without doubt, a moron. What the heck is an 'enfiladed retreat', what the heck is ' not a few men', what the heck is an unpopulated area, and what the fying f*** is an armoured diversionary force ?????


i fkin despair

[Diver]

You are, without doubt, a moron. What the heck is an 'enfiladed retreat', what the heck is ' not a few men', what the heck is an unpopulated area, and what the fying f*** is an armoured diversionary force ?????


i fkin despair

With your wealth of ignorance you should fkin despair

[Clippy]

Saving their lives and the lives of civilians in this country should take priority over military pride and national embarrasment.

There is no such thing as the "Iraqi people" anymore, if there ever was, its basically three different main tribes who can't stand each other thanks to history.

Well said.

As an aside, why can't the good 'ol boys from Texas take over the Brits role so they can evacuate with the minimum of disruption/casualties?

[Diver]

Because they need us to draw the fire so that they can sneak out the back door?

[Troll]

As an aside, why can't the good 'ol boys from Texas take over the Brits role so they can evacuate with the minimum of disruption/casualties?

I believe that was the reason for the original report - the Yanks recognise Gordo is going to pull out the troops no matter what & they will need to take over and protect the supply lines out of Kuwait & no doubt the yanks will be gleefull about saving our sorry asses again

Will be interesting to see what happens here when thousands of disillusioned troops return to the UK...

[swamp]

Will be interesting to see what happens here when thousands of disillusioned troops return to the UK...

The troops won't return to the UK. They'll go to Afghanistan

[sasguru]

And contrary to popular belief there's only 5000 of them, down from a peak of 30000. A defeat by any other name.