People in Basra mocked the British troops as they began the full pullout of Iraq on 30 April 2009.
'We will miss British troops', smiled the fighters who fought battles with teh British army on Iraqi streets after U.S. and U.K. invaded Iraq in 2003.
British troops were unable to control the Iraqi resistence fighters who controlled much of the southern Iraq.
The UK army withdrew from its Palace Base to Basra Airport after its troops were being shelled day and night in their own base by the Iranian backed Shia militas. Washington said British would be "chased out with their tails between their legs".
Military officers of U.S and Britain blamed each other for failing to control the armed militas in southern Iraq. Amercai General Jack Keane accused British soldiers of lacking "will" and "courage" to fight. British officers General Mike Jackson and General Tim Cross blamed the U.S. plans of "totally flawed" and US thinking as "intellectually bankrupt".
Dispite American efforts to disband militas, Shia politicial parties still have armed wings.
Badr Brigade is the armed wing of the SCIRI party, Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. US was unable to take its weapons. It declared victory against the British military in 2008 after it forced the British to flee from Basra Palace. It is one of the largest parties in the Shia coalition which dominates the Iraqi Parliament. It is said to have strong Iranian connections.
Mehdi Army also has a strong presence in central and southern Iraq. Its leader Moktada Sadr has a large following throughout Iraq. American Military was unable to defeat it in 2004 and 2005. After 3 major battles, the U.S. decided to give up its aim of disarming the Mehdi Militas. The party has many members in the Iraqi Government.
British newspapers think of their army's time in Basra as a "failure".
Head of the Badr Brigade said celebrated victory over the British. He said that his fighters had won the war with the British military; and now they were allowing them to retreat in one piece. "The fact that British solieders were leaving in peace must be a genuine achievement for them".
APN - 2009.04.30
