Will the Brits pull out of southern Iraq? I doubt it!

General Sir Richard Dannatt

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Tony Blair (UK) is as up to his knees in his belief that he can't be wrong as is President George Bush (US). As most of you know by now, Sir Richard Dannatt has made a public statement suggesting that the presence of the 7,000 or more British troops in southern Iraq is adding, not reducing, the carnage there. Specifically, he said, "our presence exacerbates the security problems."

He almost quoted the US's National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) written as a collaborative effort of the sixteen US intelligence agencies examination the Iraq problem in its broadest aspects.

Others have echoed Dannatt's remarks and it's uncertain as to where this will all lead, except that both Tony Blair and Richard Dannatt are adamant that they are not in disagreement ... when they most clearly are in total disagreement.

From a former weapon's and military analyst's viewpoint, my personal observation is that the whole of southern Iraq is falling into disarray and deaths are on the increase countrywide. But then, in my retirement, even my students at Grays Harbor College don't call me "Sir."

But to the point, it seems obvious that Mr. Bush is unable to admit he's wrong (lifelong psychological problems) in all of this carnage and Mr. Blair has tied his party's future to the slim hope that Mr. Bush is correct in stating that "victory" is just around the corner .... or at least that he really can see a glimmer of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

What is at the mouth of the tunnel are the continuing unnecessary deaths of coalition forces and Iraqis, Iraqis, Iraqis (military, civilian, children, women, the elderly ... whoever).