Britain to withdraw 500 more troops, hints at total withdrawal

Above: Corporal Will Rigby follows the coffin of his identical twin brother John into Shorncliffe Military Cemetery in Folkestone, England on July 4th. John Rigby was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra.

Britain expects to withdraw 500 of its 5,500 troops from southern Iraq within weeks and will then assess how soon it can remove the remainder of its forces, Defence Secretary Des Browne said on Monday.

"We've got to the point where we presently have 5,500 troops in Iraq and if, as we expect to do, within a matter of weeks manage to hand over the Basra Palace to the security control of the Iraqis, we'll be able to draw down a further 500," Browne told parliament.

"At that stage we will make an assessment of the ability of the Iraqi security forces in consultation with our allies -- and principally with our principle ally the United States of America -- about our ability to move from there to the point where we can withdraw our forces," he said.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

Related Link:
Maliki wants control of security in Basra in 3 months

Related Link:
Report: Internally displaced being rejected, killed in southern Iraq

Related Link:
Analysis: Basra tears itself apart

Related Link:
Reports: British respond with massive raid during second day of large-scale attacks against British in Basra

Related Link:
Spokesman: Entire British force attacked in Basra

Related Link:
Report: Overseer office created by Maliki enfocrcing sectarian agenda at defense, interior ministries

Related Link:
'Officials': Maliki office behind sectarian purge of Sunni army, police officers

Related Link:
Maliki slams raid on Basra jail as 'illegal and irresponsible act', orders probe, promises punishment

Related Link:
At least 37 freed as evidence of torture found in raid on Basra detention center

Related Link:
Report: UK to send mercenaries for 'post-occupation' phase

Related Link:
Perspective: Iran, militias could gain from British pullout

Related Link:
Perspective: British Army commanders wanted bigger and faster troop pullout

Related Link:
Perspective: Did the Brits Lose Southern Iraq?

Related Link:
Analysis: A job left undone in Basra

Related Link:
Anger in Basra over British raid on jail

Related Link:
British Soldiers Storm Basra Jail; 'Major Crimes' Unit accused of death squads, torture