Happy Xmas, your war is over!

Gordon Brown has signaled the end of British involvement in the Iraq war during a visit to the region.

The PM was cheered as he praised UK troops and revealed combat operations in Basra will end “within two weeks”.

Iraqi forces will take over as the 4,500-strong British force switches from front-line duties to a training role.

By early next year, our contingent in Southern Iraq will be cut to 2,500 – and may be withdrawn completely in March.

The PM broke the good news in a flying visit to Iraq.

He landed at the Army’ s base at Basra airport in darkness in an RAF Hercules transporter plane.

Minutes later he spoke to Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki.

He then gave a rousing speech to 300 squaddies after shaking hands with them all.

This has been on the cards ever since Brown was elected to office. The Iraq war was the most unpopular part of Blair's legacy and the thing that Brown has been most anxious to distance himself from.

The British will now remain in Iraq merely in a training capacity.

And, without overtly saying it, Brown has left Bush all on his own.

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Tags: Iraq war, Gordon Brown