Basra no longer a “success”

So, democratically elected Prime Minster of Iraq, Nuri al-Maliki, has declared a state of emergency in the city of Basra (which is overseen by British Troops), amid mounting violence between rival militias. Yet our own PM, Tony Blair, is moving 10% of the forces based in Basra, to Afghanistan, to support the British operations there.

Now this violence has been steadily increasing for months, so how can we, the British, possibly argue that we will stay until the job is done, if, just when violence boils over, we ship out some of our troops? Unless of course, we’re only staying in Iraq because we have some gentleman’s agreement with Washington, and to leave now, would shaft an increasingly weak president.

Is our Prime Minister allowing British servicemen to die, because of a personal commitment he has made to a foreign leader?