Basra as a prelude to the problems with retreat

Telegraph Editorial:

What began as unattributable sniping from anonymous Pentagon sources has turned into a full-throated, on-the-record whinge. Washington does not like what the British military is doing in Basra and doesn't care who knows it. Retired General Jack Keane, the architect of the American "surge" in Baghdad, broke cover last weekend when he voiced his disappointment that the situation in Basra was "coming apart". Lest Downing Street hadn't noticed the outburst, he returned to the theme in an interview yesterday with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, when his language was even fruitier. Accusing the British military of a "general disengagement" from Basra, he complained there was now "almost gangland warfare" in Iraq's second city and a deteriorating situation that would only get worse.

Such disobliging remarks from our closest ally cannot be ignored. General Keane at least had the grace to concede that, just like the American forces in central Iraq, Britain has never had enough manpower to protect the civilian population in its sector adequately. And that brought him to the nub of his argument. He said the United States had accepted that it needed to increase troop numbers on the ground - the British had to do the same.

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The editorial goes on to say that even if the Brits had the will they don't have the way to change the situation. But the criticism is also an indictment of the British approach that has also failed. It would not surprise me to see US Marine units from Anbar redeployed to the Basra region in the coming weeks. They may have to press a Basra "reawakening."