When's a withdrawal not a withdrawal?

That'll be when it's a redeployment. It seems from news reports that while UK troops are being withdrawn from Iraq (as mentioned below) and Bosnia, there are some 1,400 troops being sent to Afghanistan.

Margaret Beckett has been quick to deny that the events aren't linked, but if you've only got a certain number of troops then surely the troops who are coming home will eventually find themselves in Afghanistan? One to watch, I think.

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.