Archive for July 15th, 2008
15th July 2008
Gone by Christmas?
There has been speculation for some time at Westminster that Gordon Brown was to use his long-promised statement to MPs on Iraq before the Summer Recess to announce a complete withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. The timing for such a bold move could hardly be more auspicious; the Iraqi Premier Nouri Al-Maliki is locked in a heated debate with the Americans in calling for a fixed timetable for the early withdrawal of Coalition forces; Barack Obama is visiting the UK next week; and, oh yes, there is the small matter of the Glasgow East by-election and the Prime Minister fighting for his political survival.
Well, it seems the hopes of Labour MPs have been dashed again by the Ditherer-in-Chief. Prompted by American criticism of British tactics in Basra, it turns out we are actually sending more troops. Gordon Brown could have been the Prime Minister that brought us out of Iraq. Now it looks as if he will go down as the Prime Minister that kept us there, at least until he leaves Downing Street (which may be sooner than we think).