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After four years and 168 deaths, our brave troops retreat from Basra
Last updated at 11:22am on 04.09.07The shrill blast from a lone bugler rang out at Basra Palace shortly before 1am local time yesterday.
It was sounding 'the advance' for the last British convoy to leave the base.
But nothing could disguise the fact that this was, in reality, a retreat.
Operation Blenheim was the code name for the transfer of 550 troops from the last base in the city to the relative safety of the airport. Despite the heroism of our soldiers, it was a humiliating withdrawal.
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Flag day: Lt Col Patrick Sanders, left, and his Iraqi counterpart salute as the Iraqi flag is raised at Basra Palace yesterday
The pullout came after four and a half years - and the deaths of 168 brave servicemen and women - tackling the hopeless task of trying to bring peace to Iraq's second city.
Inevitably, as the Union Flag was lowered over Basra Palace, speculation grew that the total withdrawal of Britain's 5,500 troops in Iraq is imminent.
It was in April 2003 that victorious British soldiers smashed their way into Saddam Hussein's ornately-decorated palace in southern Iraq's most important city in a hugely symbolic move that delighted local Iraqis.
Their departure yesterday, slinking away under the cover of darkness, was equally symbolic - but for very different reasons.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted the move to the airport, ten miles into the desert from the city centre, was 'pre-planned and organised' and there was talk of a wellplanned handover.
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Out of Basra: A convoy of British armoured vehicles on the ten-mile trip from the city's palace to the airport base
The withdrawal began under cover of darkness and was completed yesterday morning
Local Iraqis chose a different interpretation. They cheered what they see as a defeat for an occupying army.
Sadoun Hami, an Iraqi military officer, was jubilant as he expressed what seemed to be the majority opinion.
"We are happy to be rid of the British," he said. "They were harassing us in the streets and raiding our houses and arresting our sons. We now want to see them out of greater Basra."
The retreat was the main item on all Iraqi TV stations, with pictures of British armoured vehicles heading towards the airport, Iraqi soldiers walking through the empty halls of the palace and Iraqi flags flying from its roof.
Local trader Ahmed Ali Omar, 35, said: "This is a victory for honest resistance. We had long been wishing for the occupier to go so that stability can be restored."
But the withdrawal has left the city largely in the hands of warring Shia militias, with the bloody prospect of more killings and kidnappings as they battle for power.
The police, who now take on the task of ensuring law and order, have been heavily infiltrated by militia members.
One Army source admitted last night: "We are leaving the Iraqi people to the mercy of our own mistakes. We should have finished what we started, but we have done a runner instead."
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Iraqi security forces scaled the palace gates to plant Iraqi flags as the British withdrew
The decision to pull British troops out of the besieged base on the banks of the Shatt-al-Arab waterway had become inevitable as the compound came under relentless daily rocket and mortar fire.
Back in 2003 the British government had hoped that smiling soldiers in berets could bring peace and prosperity to the city.
But the hard helmets quickly came back as as the militias rose in power and the army's ability to control events in Basra waned.
The palace became a magnet for insurgent attacks and the last 550 troops there had been surrounded by militants in what was described as a 'cowboys and Indians' situation.
With the streets too dangerous to patrol, they assumed an increasingly passive role.
Even so, the 4th Battalion The Rifles battle group had lost five men since its arrival in mid-May.
Withdrawal or defeat, Operation Blenheim began at around 10pm Sunday night - 7pm London time - when forces 'started to secure the route for the repositioning of troops from Basra Palace'.
Major Mike Shearer, Army spokesman in Basra, said: "At just before 1am local time, a bugler from 4 Rifles sounded the advance. The 4 Rifles Basra city battle group started to extract from Basra Palace."
A huge armoured column, led by Challenger 2 tanks and stretching back a mile and half, trundled out of the compound as jets and helicopters circled overhead.
Throughout the night and much of the day they headed, often at little more than walking pace, towards the Basra airbase. They used back routes to avoid roadside bomb attacks.
Completing Operation Blenheim without casualties was also helped by the six-month 'ceasefire' announced last month by radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army.
By the afternoon, all the troops were relatively safe inside Britain's last base in Iraq, although that also comes under daily attack.
British and Iraqi officers had formally marked the handover of the palace at a ceremony in stifling heat.
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US President George Bush laughs with US commander in Iraq General David Petraeus as Bush lands in Iraq today
Stern-faced, the two men shook hands, saluted one another - then broke the military formality by slapping each other on the back.
Colonel Sanders said later: "It's a significant moment - this really marks the end of four years of British occupation and residency in Basra Palace and this is the point where Iraqis start to take matters into their own hands.
"I hope the violence will reduce - over 90 per cent of attacks are against British forces - and Basra will become calmer."
Iraq's defence minister, Abdul-Qadir al-Obaidi, said he was confident his troops would be able to maintain security, adding that British forces will act 'as a backup when we request it'.
But there were warnings that Iraq could be heading for a bloodbath amid withering criticism of British policy from retired senior commanders.
Colonel Tim Collins, who delivered a famous speech as he led the Royal Irish Regiment into Iraq in 2003, praised UK soldiers for doing the best they could with scarce resources.
But he said 'political failure' in both Washington and London has created a real risk of all-out civil war in Iraq. Colonel Collins, who quit the Army after the invasion, compared the pull-out to the US retreat from Vietnam.
He insisted the UK military had not failed in its mission, saying: "It was never given a clear mission. If anything this has been a political failure.
"No one could tell us what we were trying to do in Iraq when I was still in the Army and I don't believe that's changed."
Colonel Collins said the fear now was that Shias would try to form a breakaway nation in the oil-rich south. That raised the spectre of ethnic cleansing and vastly increasing the influence of neighbouring Iran.
Reader views (37)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
I'd just be happy if Brown or any of the other surviving members of this useless government just admitted that they'd made a mess of things. I'm happy for the Army as they were being put at risk with no real purpose.
- Mark, London, UK
This is a wise decision by the Government.
If you can't win a war, then quit.
Leaving Afghanistan should be next, as that is a futile campaign.
The Russians were there for years, and eventually left, because so many of their soldiers had succumbed to the drugs available there.
Britain does not need to be a world power, our Government should concentrate on the internal problems of our country.
- John Jones, Hampton
Led up the garden path by Blair. Throw the weapons down and come home.
- Will, Waverton, Cumbria, UK
Stevo, at least Gordon Brown has the guts to say enough is enough and pull out of Basra - something that Tony Blair never had!
- Judith, Leeds, UK
A retreat dictated by policital strategy is never a victory for soldiers! Shame on new labour to have started in the wrong way and to have left in the wrong way!
- Georgie, London
Bush and Blair with Calamity always following closely behind them. Hard to see what is following Brown at this stage, but he appears to be listening to the British public over Iraq.
- Robert, Kirk Ella, East Yorks
I think it is, another new labour project defeat...
A hasty retreat.
- Alexandra, London
Its nice to see normal Americans sticking up for our decision to withdraw here. Normally, all we hear from the USA on this side of the pond is the sabre rattling talk of Bush et al.
Before the Bush administration get too self confident and knock Britain's decision, let me remind them that Britain has a very good military track record as far as winning wars is concerned and we have never been in such a losing position as the USA was in Vietnam!
I guess the major differences between the US and UK military are, the USA has the quantity where the UK has the quality.
- Graham, Brighton, England
The British have made a very wise move. Hopefully the Americans will learn from their example.
- George Romer, Austin, Texas
Our troops should never have been in Iraq in the first place.
A million people took to the streets and protested against this invasion before it had happened - we thought it was a really really bad idea - even through the barrage of lies we were told. We were right. We were ignored.
- Nick Taylor, Brighton, UK
Gordon Brown did mention the UK will pull out of Iraq. And he kept his word.
Now that UK pulled out, it'd be interesting to see what Australia does. Would they follow the UK or the US?
If couple of other countries pull out, the US is simply done, though they have been done for a while now.
- Steven, Washington DC
For the first time in UK history do we have a politician listening to his Army commanders? Or is he merely distancing himself from Blair.
Whichever, its definitely the right decision.
- Les, Essex, UK
Bush will undoubtedly invade the Basra region as this is where the oil is, and that's the whole point of this war, isn't it? Oil.
- Tony, Lancs, UK
Kathleen, the only way to finish this is to kill every single Iraqi and even then it will not end. The chaos will not end until the US and UK leave. Violence causes violence.
They should have never gone in the first place! It must never be forgotten that Iraq is in the state it is today because of the UK and US occupation. Therefore, the sooner they admit their mistake and defeat and get out, the better.
- Dominique, Shropshire, UK
I cant help noticing that the Iraqi troops wearing colonialists uniform and driving there vehicles, still never mind, let's hope the bloodshed stops here, but I can't see it somehow, maybe things will get worse.
- Brian, Wiltshire
This government went in prematurely and now they are leaving prematurely, a job unfinished. Why did they waste so many lives and so many more with leaving now?
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
This is more like the Labour Party we knew. Gutless cowards.
- P.Robinson, Northants
Allow the Iraqis to fight for themselves...
- Buzz Miler, Fairfax, Virginia
This action brings to mind a very succinct quote from a US General in reference to the Vietnam War: "We are not retreating. We are simply advancing in another direction".
Priceless!
- Tal, London UK
Retreat without achieving the objectives must rightly be called a defeat. However, when (not if, but when) American troops are forced to do the same, it will surely be toted as another "Mission Accomplished" by the DC spin doctors. Let us hope that when that day comes it is managed as well as the British move was, not as poorly as the American post-war efforts have been to date.
- Kennet Svensson, Stockholm, Sweden
A lot of British and American men and women have lost their lives to give Iraqis their new freedom. We can't do anything about what Bush and Blair wanted to do, all the protest in the world didn’t stop them. They did get rid of Saddam who was an oppressor to his own people and not a practically nice person, I wouldn't want to be in the country he was running. I'm glad some of our troops are coming home.
- Tasha, Croydon
Look at them, standing there with their guns in the air. Just you wait, it'll be complete carnage there in a few months ... the Iraqi "police" force will soon be split along sectarian lines and be fighting each other. They'll not be able to cope - they never have. They're like sheep with no Collie dog.
- Suzanne, Surrey
Well, it's progress that the people of Basra won't have to see a colonialist occupational force on their streets every day. But when will they be able to benefit from their oil wealth to build up their shattered social infrastructure, build hospitals to treat the victims of depleted uranium dust, etc? The economic 'occupation' seems to be still continuing as the foreign multinationals dictate economic policy and broker deals with the regional warlords. It is to be hoped that a taste of independence from occupation soldiers will eventually lead to economic independence and the conditions for true democracy.
- Kevin Laing, Edinburgh, Scotland
Kathleen, with comments like that, I'm surprised you're not Dubya's chief of staff. Ability to think and reason not a pre-requisite!
The withdrawal is a victory for common sense.
- Marianne, SW France
Some of us in the US are sorry to have dragged the British into this debacle. We're glad to see that your Mr. Brown is taking intelligent steps (even if only for his political future). Hopefully, you will be able to safely extricate your soldiers. Our Mr. Bush is not so much furious, I suspect, as mad in a Nixonian, George III way.
- Kevin Robbins, Queensbury, NY
This seems like a haphazard retreat. It could cost lives as soldiers have to leave in the wrong way. I understand Gordon Brown wants to win an election and get votes by doing this now suddenly but more body bags than new labour created in the first place is not on I think! It should be organised by the military and not by the new labour bureaucracy.
- Jack, London NW1
Gordon does not have any leadership skills. It takes guts to finish a job and he has not even been elected to do any job! And I think Gordon Brown never will...
- Stevo, London
Presumably Brown is insisting that the pull out from Basra isn't a defeat in the same way that Vietnam wasn't a defeat for the Americans?
- Terry Roll, London
Interesting that all responses so far should be from Americans and mostly supportive of Britain's move. Bush should also take note of the message from his own people who are clearly disillusioned about the fiasco he has created with the support of his closest allies.
Having said that, Kathleen is right to be concerned about the consequences of the USA and UK withdrawing from Iraq when it is in such a state of chaos.
The next steps, including those by the UK, should be determined by a clear set of objectives, the absence of which has so far characterised Bush's so-called war on terror.
Given the high moral stance that led the USA and UK to invade Iraq in the first place, mere national interest will be an inadequate basis for setting such objectives.
With Bush having suffered a substantial loss of authority at home, Gordon Brown's sense of "the right thing to do" is now being tested - does he have real moral and political courage or will he choose the easy option? He now has an opportunity to prove himself and discard his Macavity image.
- Simon, London
This is a welcome move. Well done to the Brits for not playing lackey to Bush anymore.
- Watson, South Africa
There is nothing that we did in Iraq to make life better for the local community. I served in the Basra region on tours and deeply regret the waste of civilian and army lives there for no good reason.
The only thing to do now is to complete the retreat as soon as possible.
- Ian Griffiths, Barnet
Brown has prevailed where Blair faltered.
The troops should all return home as soon as is practically possible.
- Lawrence Riley, London, England
Bush has finally met his waterloo. It's all over for Bush. His party is over, it's time for him to pay the karma for his stupidity.
- Bro. John Cosmas Damien, El Paso, TX. U.S.A.
Bush is furious about everything he can't bludgeon into submission. Good going Britain, you have abandoned the Cowboy King!
- Brendan Jones, Omaha, Nebraska
Excellent! The Bush folly should never have been a disaster for England as well. This is one of many Americans to applaud this move out.
- Anon, Prescott, Arizona, USA
Why should Bush be furious? The Brits should feel free to do whatever they feel is in the best interest of their country obviously something Mr. Bush does not care to do himself.
- Sher, USA
Whether for or against the war, it is extremely unwise to leave the country in such chaos. Once you start something you need to finish it.
- Kathleen, Connecticut, USA
