Wednesday 21 February 2007

Coincidence?

I wouldn't like to appear cynical or paranoid, but is it just a coincidence that Blair has announced that UK troop numbers in Iraq are to be cut in the run-up to the Scottish Parliament elections?

The BBC states that:

Prime Minister Tony Blair has confirmed that 1,600 British troops will return from Iraq within the next few months.

Mr Blair told MPs the 7,100 serving troops would be cut to 5,500 shortly, with hopes that another 500 could leave by the end of summer.


Could it be that perhaps all operations are being scaled down? Nope, because

The proposed cut in numbers of British troops comes at the same time as 21,500 more US troops are being sent to Iraq.

I'm fairly cheesed off that decisions like this could be taken so lightly, but then again, I wouldn't put anything Blair and his cronies.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

More like legacy hunting, one problem amongst the SNP and much of Scotland is that we actually think that everyone else in the UK gives that much of toss about the rest of us.
The announcement doesn't commit him to much, but gives him a good bit of press, and the public the idea that he is helping to finish the job.

BellgroveBelle said...

I'm not totally convinced it's to do with the elections, but there have been other military operations (Kosovo and Afghanistan) in the background of the two previous Scottish Parliament elections, and that's enough to make me suspicious.

I'm sure you're right on the legacy hunting and positive press parts!