Four years in Basra, and what has the British Army achieved? (except the odd Victoria cross)?

Answer 1

The British army has achieved far more in Basra than your simple outlook on life will ever possibly be able to comprehend:

- relative stability compared to others parts of Iraq
- training of Iraqi forces to be able to look after themselves
- winning over the hearts and minds of the people
- building projects (schools/police stations etc.)

I very much doubt you would be able to cope with a tour of duty out there.

Answer 2

The British presence in Basra has achieved a lot more than what people think..

1..They achieved their objective of handing it over to the Iraq people
2.. They trained the military ensuring they were capable of upholding stability
3.schools and hospitals have been built
4. the infrastructure has been rebuilt.. IE water . .electric .. comms ..
5.. The relationships have been strengthened
6.. Our presence enabled social control and stability

Our boys presence has achieved all of the above and also enabled the capture of many war criminals

I think our forces should be proud and as an army wife whose husband has served at Basra three times i am proud of what has been achieved by our forces

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070903/tpl-uk-iraq-43a8d4f_6.html

Answer 3

Why you knocking it mate. There's are British lads dying out there, is it not better to show your support, have some respect. Why don't all you smart *** do gooders think of the consequences before you run off at the mouth. Put yourself in the same situation how would you feel if you were there and all you heard that your at home average couch potato doesn't want you there anyway. Sorry but you touched a raw nerve.
Hope this makes you think

Answer 4

I'd say more chaos. Once they're completely out of Iraq, peace might happen in Basra. Might is the keyword there.

Answer 5

It was worth it to get rid of Saddam.
Trying to establish democracy in Iraq was a bit of Bush-and-Blair lunacy.
It's a sin and a crime to risk soldiers' lives for nothing, because once you lose your life, what have you got left?

Answer 6

Why not take a holiday in the real world and have a look out there?
Then the moon will not be blue.
But yellow.

Answer 7

We have achieved putting a country into total chaos the rule of law is non existant,insurgents have infiltrated every part of the local government,police etc.
When we and the rest of the coalition make our humiliating withdrawal from Iraq the country will be plunged into total chaos with internal power struggles and killing on an even larger scale than at present.
Bush and his poodle Blair should be put on trial.

Answer 8

They have managed to do the original job they were sent there to do.

That is train the locals to perform the military tasks in hand.

Something the US sadly due to political interference has failed to do from day one and millions of dollars later.

Its easy for the "armchair warrior" who posted the question to cast doubt on one of Americas oldest Allies but he/she has never servered their country and probably never will.

Answer 9

built schools, built hospitals given the women the right to and education and the right to vote given them something they haven't had before democracy i think that pretty important unless Saddam and dictatorship are the way ahead

Answer 10

Death and destruction on all sides, perhaps once they finally leave Iraq the people of the country can resolve their problems and rebuild their lives. Though that seems unlikely from what we have seen.