UK: We're Pulling Out Troops From Iraq; But Don't Worry, We're Sending In Prince Harry

The same day that British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the 'withdrawal' of 1,600 British troops from the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the deployment of Prince Harry's regiment, the Blues and Royals (apt name...) is said to be 'almost certain'.

If deployed, Prince Harry, or Troop Commander Wales as he is known to his colleagues, will be in charge of an 11 man reconnaissance team equipped with 4 light armoured Scimitar tanks. So not exactly a desk job to keep him out of harms way, but rather to throw him right in the middle of it...

The last time that a senior Royal Family member has seen military action was in 1982, when Prince Andrew, Harry's uncle, was a helicopter pilot in the Falklands conflict. When's the last time any member of congress or the White House administration picked up a gun and headed of to war, and not speaking figuratively? We are talking about the grandson of the Queen of England here... When's the last time a child or grandchild of a US President head off to war?

The United Kingdom has some 7,100 troops in the southern part of Iraq, and is hoping to cut that number down to 5,500 'within the next few months', with an additional 500 hopefully called home by the end of the summer. The UK military presence in Iraq will continue into 2008, 'for as long as [they're] wanted and have a job to do.'

Although the number of British forces to be withdrawn seems small, one must remember that initially the UK sent in some 45,000 soldiers in April 2003, and has gradually lowered the number of UK forces in Iraq.

So, on one had you have the UK, who, to some extent, is succeeding in its mission in securing Basra (again, to a degree), withdrawing troops and relinquishing control of the area to the Iraqis. On the other hand you have the US, who still maintain a force of some 132,000 soldiers in Iraq, and are now sending in an additional 21,500 troops, all the while (atleast seemingly) failing in their mission. It seems that the methods of operating in Iraq between the US and the UK are complete opposites. Lessons to be learned here, perhaps?

I'm not implying that the American troops are not pulling their weight in Iraq or are otherwise doing a lousy job. Those 132,000 US troops are doing the best they can under the circumstances, and probably could do a better job, if their job wasn't hampered by political mishandlings and other such burdens, both from the American generals and politicians in Iraq and Washington, and the Iraqi powers in charge over there. Someone in charge needs to get a clue, and fast. Sure, Baghdad is a whole different ballgame compared to Basra, but apparently things aren't working out too well in the capital...

On a final note, let's theorize about the deployment of Prince Harry to Iraq, and let's try to look at the pessimistic aspects of what could happen to him over there. Let's say he dies or is wounded in the line of duty by a) the insurgents, b) an accident c) friendly-fire:
a) an IED blows up his Scimitar tank and him with it. What would the British reaction in relation to the war in Iraq be? I could see it three ways. One, the remaining troops are withdrawn hastily, due to immense uproar back in the UK over the war. Two, the British parliament sends in hundreds, if not thousands, of extra troops to finally eradicate all insurgency in the south. Three, the nation mourns but the soldiers in Iraq stay the course and finish the job.
b) same as part three of the above
c) US war planes shot up a regiment of British soldiers travelling in Scimitar tanks in 2003, killing one soldier. What if it happened again? How would the cooperation between the UK and the US change if it happened to Prince Harry's regiment? Would the UK immediately pull all its troops from Iraq? Politically, it's hard to say, but you know how the British public would react to it...

In any case, worst-case scenario for southern Iraq is that the presence of a very valuable target in Basra could bring more insurgent attacks on the city, undermining the efforts and results the British have undergone in recent months in trying to bring peace to the area. Let's hope for the best. Not just for England and Prince Harry, but also for the peaceful civilians of Basra...

Sources:
BBC NEWS UK Prince Harry 'to be sent to Iraq'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6383747.stm
BBC NEWS Politics Blair announces Iraq troops cut
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6380933.stm