About 1,200 British forces withdrew on Thursday from Abu Naji, a camp near Amarah in southern Maysan province. The base had been targeted repeatedly with mortar fire, and shortly after the British left, members of the Shiite-controlled Mahdi Army passed out pamphlets claiming credit for the British retreat. The camp had been targeted for mortar and rocket fire almost daily.
Looters arrived at the camp within hours after the final British soldiers left at noon on Thursday. Iraqi soldiers put up resistance and later fired on the crowds who had gathered. There were reports of some injuries for both Iraqi forces and civilians but no fatalities.
The looting was an indication of the tenuous hold Iraqi authorities have on the countryside, though a police spokesman for the region denied any looting occurred. An Iraq Army source said that as many as 2,000 people surrounded the camp at one point.
You see the idea that there will someday be some peaceful relinquishing of control to the Iraqi government is ludicrous. No matter how long American and British forces stay in Iraq whenever they finally do leave, the place is going to devolve into chaos unless some local warlord takes control through the use of force.
Nobody that the US puts in power is going to be taken seriously by the Iraqis, election or no election.
We might as well leave today and let this thing work itself out as soon as possible. At least our coalition forces will be safe.
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Don't feed the trolls!
It just goes directly to their thighs.