8 | The
invasion
601.
It is not
clear precisely when the draft was finalised, but the revised
Operational
Concept had
been agreed by 14 April.352
602.
The Chiefs of
Staff were informed on 7 April that Lt Gen McKiernan
was
considering
the use of UK forces to secure the northern Rumaylah oilfields
and
Route 6 (which
ran north from Basra, through al-Amara (in Maysan province) and
al-Kut
(in Wasit
province) to Baghdad).353
The Chiefs
of Staff took the view that the boundaries
of any
extension to the AO would need to be clearly defined; that the UK
should not be
over-committed;
and that any move north should be dependent on the
successful
conclusion
of operations in Basra.
603.
The COBR
round-up on 8 April recorded that US forces had been given the task
of
ensuring
the capitulation of al-Amara.354
604.
The 9 April
round-up reported that US forces had found little resistance and
had
withdrawn,
“leaving a small liaison presence”.355
The
round-up also stated that UK forces
would “push
north toward al-Amara, possibly as early as tomorrow”.
605.
By 9 April, 16
Air Assault Brigade had deployed north of Basra to
al-Qurnah
(15km inside
the northern boundary of Basra province), with the Pathfinders (an
element
of the
Parachute Regiment) located 15km further north.356
606.
The UK AO was
extended north to al-Amara on 11 April, when Pathfinders
from
16 Air
Assault Brigade entered the city. The remainder of the force
entered on 12 April.357
607.
On 12
April, in line with the military plan approved by Mr Blair on
14 March
(see
Section 6.2), Mr Hoon approved the extension of the UK AO to
include the
whole
provinces of Basra and Maysan.
608.
Mr Hoon
was advised that Lt Gen McKiernan had asked the UK “initially”
to
take
responsibility for two provinces in Phase IV, with the possibility
of a request
to extend
the post-conflict AOR to further provinces in due
course.
609.
On 12 April,
Lt Gen Reith recommended that Mr Hoon approve the extension of
the
UK AO to
include all of Basra and Maysan provinces, “in preparation for
Phase IV”.358
610.
Mr Hoon
was invited to note that:
“a ) in
line with previous authority,359
CJO plans
to move forces to the northern limit
of the
extended UK Area of Operation, flushing out any Iraqi forces
encountered
en route;
352
Paper
Reith, 14 April 2003, ‘Phase IV Roulement/Recovery of UK Land
Forces’.
353
Minutes, 7
April 2003, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
354
Briefing
[MOD], 8 April 2003, ‘Annex to Evening Sitrep 8 April 2003:
Military’.
355
Briefing
[MOD], 9 April 2003, ‘Annex to Evening Sitrep 9 April 2003:
Military’.
356
Minutes, 9
April 2003, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
357
Minutes, 12
April 2003, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
358
Minute
D/PJHQ to PS/Secretary of State [MOD], 12 April 2003, ‘Expansion of
the UK AOR’.
359
Set out in
the 18 March Execute Directive for Op TELIC Phases III and
IV.
107