Military commanders tell Brown to withdraw from Iraq without delay

Gordon Brown has been told by British military commanders that he should withdraw British troops from Iraq "without delay" as Britain can achieve "nothing more" in that country.

Last month Gordon Brown said after meeting George Bush at Camp David that the decision to hand over security in Basra province – the last of the four held by the British – "will be made on the military advice of our commanders on the ground". He added: "Whatever happens, we will make a full statement to Parliament when it returns [in October]."

Two generals told The Independent on Sunday last week that the military advice given to the Prime Minister was, "We've done what we can in the south [of Iraq]".

The army who arrived in Iraq to impose democracy on the region have since changed their priorities and are now saying that their aims are now to bring about "an orderly withdrawal" with the reputation and capability of the Army "reasonably intact".

The rift between the US and the UK on this subject have finally broken into the open with the Americans, for the first time, speaking of Britain as having been defeated in Iraq.

American criticism of Britain's desire to pull back in southern Iraq has recently become public, with a US intelligence official telling The Washington Post this month that "the British have basically been defeated in the south". A senior British commander countered, "That's to miss the point. It was never that kind of battle, in which we set out to defeat an enemy."

Of course, the main American objection to the British plans involves the British intention of leaving Basra Palace, which the Americans want to maintain as the CIA find this useful for watching Iran.

I must also say that I find it highly ironic that the Americans are speaking of British "defeat" whilst continuing to view their own efforts as a success in the making. I would think the Americans would do well to avoid such name calling as one day the Americans will themselves have to leave and there are many of us who doubt that Iraq will look any better when they have to do so, than it looks today.

As I write this Allawi is speaking on the BBC of Iraq now being a "failed state". After more than four years of war - a longer timescale than was taken to defeat Nazi Germany in WWII - the US and UK have still failed to impose the most basic order to Iraq's streets.

There is no indication that they have any chance of doing so now. And that appears to be the message being given by the British military commanders to Brown. The war is over. It is lost.

The only question now is how long one keeps the troops there whilst refusing to accept the inevitable.

When Brown visited Bush he made clear that he would be guided by advice from military commanders on the ground. He is now, if these reports are true, being given very clear advice.

Brown will leave Bush in the lurch if he decides to pull out the Brits at this stage. However, British and US relations would survive such a withdrawal as Bush is, to all extents and purposes, a lame duck President.

I have no idea what Brown will do, but he has greatly pleased his party with the stances he has taken so far regarding British relations with the US vis a vis Iraq. The military commanders are giving him the open goal he requires should he want to withdraw. The question now is whether or not Brown will put the ball in the back of the net.

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