Withdrawal syndrome

The Brits don't seem to have an issue with getting the fuck out of Iraq:

The British Government has announced a plan for withdrawing most of its troops from southern Iraq.

The Government is confident it can hand back control of security to Iraqi forces by the end of May.

Britain has just over 7,000 troops in southern Iraq. Most are stationed in and around Basra - Iraq's second biggest city.

Now the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, has outlined a timetable for the withdrawal of the British soldiers.

"We expect Najaf to be the next province to be transferred to Iraqi control in December, in our own area of responsibility we expect Maysan to follow in January," she said.

"The progress if our current operation in Basra gives us confidence that we may be able to achieve transition in that province too, at some point next spring."

The UK's announcement could affect the deployment of Australian troops under British command in southern Iraq.

All the things the Bush administration has refused to consider is now being planned by the UK. Of course, this is likely predicated on placing control in the hands of the Iraqis and we've all see how well that has gone so far.