Brit Defense Minister: “No Saigon Moment”
The forces chief who planned Britain’s part in the invasion of Iraq has rejected claims that Britain’s withdrawal will be ugly, embarrassing and akin to America’s “Saigon moment” in 1975. “I don’t think it’s sensible to draw any parallels between Saigon and Basra”, Lord Boyce, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff between 2001 and 2003, said yesterday. “The British are not facing what the Americans were facing in Saigon, which was a well-equipped army as opposed to disparate murderers and terrorists”. He was responding to claims by Bush adviser Stephen Biddle, who warned the British would have to fight their way out in an “ugly and embarrassing” retreat. US hawks have been expressing concern over British plans to cut forces in Iraq and hope to press Gordon Brown not to withdraw completely.
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Of course the British retreat won’t be like Saigon, they’ll have us to watch their backs while they “run”.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:21 pmThey’re not running, they’re increasing their troop commitment to Afghanistan.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:41 pmI can’t believe this, they’re deserting. Oh well, at least they stayed for quite a long time.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:58 pmNews flash to the dumb shit who asked “will it be Saigon?”
The Brits ARE NOT LEAVING.
Fucking duhhhhhhhhhhh.
August 19th, 2007 at 9:02 pmstill running from Iraq
August 19th, 2007 at 9:09 pmdeathstar, I’m rather afraid that they are; in fact, they’ve already withdrawn quite a few troops and pulled back the 5,000 or so left to the Basra airport.
August 19th, 2007 at 9:48 pmThe U.K. is finished as a world power and a force for Good.
It’s down to us and the Ozzies to save the Free World of the West.
This is a horrible decision and one they never should even have considered, but Blair and Brown lost the war at home on the political front and they no longer have the political will to stay in the fight.
Hope they don’t mind seeing the green flag of Islam flying over Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament and the Queen replaced by a Mullah or an Imam because that’s the future they’re facing very soon.
I wonder if the Brits feel that they’re needed to defend the home front?
August 19th, 2007 at 10:51 pmJohn,that makes sense,dont it?
August 20th, 2007 at 12:55 amyes Johnny, they fear a frogs invasion
August 20th, 2007 at 2:13 amin the beginning the brits said they would be handling things different in bashra, than the Americans in baghdad..they would be using a kindler, gentler apprach…looks like it didnt work
August 20th, 2007 at 4:21 amWell, God bless ‘em I’d say. I wish them all the best. At the very least, they jumped in with us when 99.9% of the rest of the ‘free’ world did fuck all.
…..”paging Mr. Churchill, Mr. Winston Churchill”
August 20th, 2007 at 4:25 amAs a Brit soldier who has served in Iraq (just like about 99% of our infantry have!) i could fill a page or two with my views on this. British troops on the ground have fought long and hard and shed alot of their blood on the sands around the ****hole that is Basrah. Just like the US army and marines have in the north. Anybody who says otherwise has probably never been there.
They have tried to be respectful when appropiate, but always carried a big punch when necessary. Anybody who ambushed my callsign soon realised it was a mistake. Anybody who doubts the resolve and fighting skills of the British infantry should look at the battle reports coming out of southern afghanistan. One battalion there got 600 enemy KIA in the first two months of their deployment. Or the young 26 year old captain last week mortally wounded but refusing morphine so as to be able to continue leading his troops. RIP Captain Dave Hicks. Anybody doubting the fighting prowess of the British lads on the frontline should hang their heads in shame.
No, the problem is the morally bankrupt politians and bureaucrats sat on their elbows in London. Making promises they cant keep, full of rhetoric but without the courage to see it through. Nothing new I know. The difference is not whether the British or American soldiers have the courage and skill to fight. They can stand shoulder to shoulder with any from WW1 or WW2 or Korea… But our civilian leadership on both sides of the Atlantic could never compare themselves to Roosevelt or Churchill, or any of their peers that made up their governments at the time.
But anyway, big subject. But the main point is if the British do leave Iraq, or scale back then it wont be because the British soldier lack cajones. Good luck to all allied forces trying to make a difference, and RIP to all those who have paid the ultimate price.
August 20th, 2007 at 6:04 amLike Saigon? WTF is this meathead talking about? All US troops had left Saigon prior to 1975. All that was lacking in 1973-1975 was US aid and US Air Power. That’s because the Congress much like the MP’s of Britain didn’t have the cahones to finish the job.
If the Brits leave it won’t be because they lack the spirit of the bayonet, it will be because the liberal fucktards in England got their way.
In any event, I saw an article in a US military pub that reported that the Brits are increasing their forces in Afghanistan.
Whatever redeployment happens, most of those troops will likely end up in the mujland of poppies.
Anyone who questions the British military’s fighting spirit has never worked with them guys. They’re great soldiers.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:35 amChris
August 20th, 2007 at 9:02 amwe know its the ploiticians not the soldiers,THANK YOU for your service.Go home be with family,and protect YOUR home,your needed their by YOUR country men more than someones elses,we Americans got your back,just like we know you got ours
Really it doesn’t bother me (except the spin). I too have heard about the redeployments of the units to Afg so at least they’re still in the fight. As others have said, weak kneed politico-fucktards are why they left Iraq, but the joke is they’re not pulled out of the war, just a theater. That’s the sort of hypocrisy these assholes in government live with.
I think it may be just a well hatched plan. Increase the pressure on the muj in Afg and Waziristan, reduce Britain’s political cover, and the US benefits from an image of public “security” in Mookie-land and the rest of southern Iraq while at the same time maybe drawing Mook out of his hole and giving themselves time to get some real work done elsewhere in Iraq prior to a later showdown (after September).
August 20th, 2007 at 2:07 pm