The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
612.
Mr Blair
made his statement in the House of Commons on 21
February.320
He emphasised
that the situation in Basra was:
“… very
different from that in Baghdad. There is no Sunni insurgency and
no
al‑Qaida
base. There is little Shia on Sunni violence. The bulk of the
attacks are
on the
Multi‑National Force …
“As a
result of the operation in Basra, which is now complete, the Iraq
forces now
have the
primary role for security in most parts of the city. It is still a
difficult and
sometimes
dangerous place, but many extremists have been arrested or have
left
the city.
The reported levels of murder and kidnapping are significantly down
…
“What all
this means is not that Basra is how we want it to be, but that the
next
chapter in
Basra’s history can be written by the Iraqis …
“Already we
have handed over prime responsibility for security to the Iraqi
authorities
in Muthanna
and Dhi Qar. Now in Basra over the coming months we will
transfer
more of the
responsibility directly to Iraqis. I should say that none of this
will mean
a
diminution in our combat capability. The actual reduction in forces
will be from the
present
7,100 … to roughly 5,500. However, with the exception of forces
which will
remain at
Basra Palace, the British forces will be located at Basra Air Base
and be
in a
support role …
“The
British forces that remain in Iraq will have the following
tasks:
•
training
and support to Iraqi forces;
•
securing
the Iraq‑Iran border;
•
securing
supply routes;
•
and, above
all, the ability to conduct operations against extremist
groups
and be
there in support of the Iraqi army when called upon.
“Over time,
and depending naturally on progress and the capability of the
Iraq
security
forces, we will be able to draw down further, possibly to below
5,000 once
the Basra
Palace site has been transferred to the Iraqis in late
summer.
“We hope
that Maysan province can be transferred to full Iraqi control in
the next
few months,
and Basra in the second half of the year. The UK military presence
will
continue
into 2008, for as long as we are wanted and have a job to
do.”
613.
Mr Blair
also told the House of Commons:
“I have
discussed this with Prime Minister Maliki, and our proposals have
his full
support
and, indeed, represent his wishes.”
320
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 21
February 2007, columns 261‑280.
114