US, Britain plan Iraq pullout
13/12/2005 11:01  - (SA)  

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London - The United States and Britain are planning a phased withdrawal of their military forces from Iraq as soon as a permanent government is installed in Baghdad, say reports.

In a dispatch from the Iraqi capital ahead of Thursday's parliamentary elections, it said British and US officials viewed the end of Iraq's transitional period as the "green light" to begin withdrawing troops as early as next March.

It quoted a senior Western diplomat in Baghdad as saying: "One of the first things we will talk about (with the new Iraqi government) is the phased transfer of security, particularly in cities and provinces.

"It will happen progressively over the next year."

The US had more than 160 000 troops in central and northern Iraq, while Britain had about 8 000 in four southern provinces.

Most restive province

The two nations invaded in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein's dictatorship.

The reports said "contingency plans" were in place for British units in Dhiqar and Muthana provinces to go as early as spring 2006, followed by those in the most restive province of Misan.

Meanwhile, the US was "planning to pullout 30 000 troops by the new year" and reduce their presence to below 100 000 personnel "in the coming months".

Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari told said a hasty withdrawal could hurl his country into more violence.

He said: "Those who advocate an early withdrawal don't know what is at stake. The huge investment in blood and money sacrificed by the US could be squandered. This is the time for patience. We don't need to panic."

Coalition troops

Major general Jim Dutton, commander of the British-led multi-national division based Basra, said the sooner coalition troops leave, "in many ways the better".

He said: "We wish to get out of this country as soon as possible when we have put in place the conditions that allow the Iraqis to continue to develop... Certainly we are aiming to do it as soon as possible.

"Given what I know today and what I think is going to happen, six months is not an unrealistic timescale to start talking about withdraw of troops from some areas.

"We have got to be sure - and the Iraqis wouldn't want to do it too quickly. Certainly the Iraqi security forces wouldn't want to."

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