The Proxy War: UK Troops are sent to Iranian border
British forces have been sent from Basra to the volatile border with Iran amid warnings from the senior US commander in Iraq that Tehran is fomenting a “proxy war”.
British soldiers return to action as tensions between US and Iran grow
In signs of a fast-developing confrontation, the Iranians have threatened military action in response to attacks launched from Iraqi territory while the Pentagon has announced the building of a US base and fortified checkpoints at the frontier.
The UK operation, in which up to 350 troops are involved, has come at the request of the Americans, who say that elements close to the Iranian regime have stepped up supplies of weapons to Shia militias in recent weeks in preparation for attacks inside Iraq.
The deployment came within a week of British forces leaving Basra Palace, their last remaining base inside Basra city, and withdrawing to the airport for a widely expected final departure from Iraq. Brigadier James Bashall, commander of 1 Mechanised Brigade, based at Basra said: “We have been asked to help at the Iranian border to stop the flow of weapons and I am willing to do so. We know the points of entry and I am sure we can do what needs to be done. The US forces are, as we know, engaged in the ’surge’ and the border is of particular concern to them.”
The mission will include the King’s Royal Hussars battle group, 250 of whom were told at the weekend that they would be returning to the UK as part of a drawdown of forces in Iraq.
The operation is regarded as a high-risk strategy which could lead to clashes with Iranian-backed Shia militias or even Iranian forces and also leaves open the possibility of Iranian retaliation in the form of attacks against British forces at the Basra air base or inciting violence to draw them back into Basra city. Relations between the two countries are already fraught after the Iranian Revolutionary Guards seized a British naval party in the Gulf earlier this year.
The move came as General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Iraq, made some of the strongest accusations yet by US officials about Iranian activity. General Petraeus spoke on Monday of a “proxy war” in Iraq, while Mr Crocker accused the Iranian government of “providing lethal capabilities to the enemies of the Iraqi state”.
In an interview after his appearance before a congressional panel on Monday, General Petraeus strongly implied that it would soon be necessary to obtain authorisation to take action against Iran within its own borders, rather than just inside Iraq. “There is a pretty hard look ongoing at that particular situation” he said.
The Royal Welsh battle group, with Challenger tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, is conducting out regular exercises at the Basra air base in preparation for any re-entry into the city. No formal handover of Basra to the Iraqi government has yet taken place and the UK remains responsible for maintaining security in the region.
The Iraqi commander in charge of the southern part of the country, General Mohan al-Furayji, said he would not hesitate to call for British help if there was an emergency.
While previous US military action has been primarily directed against Sunni insurgents, it is Shia fighters, which the US accuses Iran of backing, who now account for 80 per cent of US casualties.
For the British military the move to the border is a change of policy. They had stopped patrols along the long border at Maysan despite US concerns at the time that the area would become a conduit for weapons into Iraq.
The decision to return to the frontier has been heavily influenced by the highly charged and very public dispute with the United States. British commanders feel that they cannot turn down the fresh American request for help after refusing to delay the withdrawal from Basra Palace. They also maintain that the operation will stop Iranian arms entering Basra.
Brigadier Bashall said: “We are not sitting here idly at the air bridge. The security of Basra is still our responsibility and we shall act where necessary. We are also prepared to restore order in Basra City if asked to do so.”
The US decision to build fortifications at the Iranian border, after four years of presence in Iraq, shows, say American commanders, that the “Iranian threat” is now one of their main concerns.
Maj-Gen Rick Lynch, commander of the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said 48 Iranian-supplied roadside bombs had been used against his forces killing nine soldiers. “We’ve got a major problem with Iranian munitions streaming into Iraq. This Iranian interference is troubling and we have to stop it,” he told The Wall Street Journal this week.
Meanwhile at a conference in Baghdad on regional co-operation, Iran claimed the US was supporting groups mounting attacks from Iraqi territory in the Kurdish north.
Said Jalili , Iran’s deputy foreign minister, last night said: “I think [the US and its allies] are going to prevaricate with the truth because they know they have been defeated in Iraq and they have not been successful. And so they are going to put the blame on us, on the other side.”
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goes to prove all brits aint pussy’s,just the ones in government,like ours trying to get em out
September 12th, 2007 at 9:54 amWhoa, I missed this statement: “General Petraeus strongly implied that it would soon be necessary to obtain authorisation to TAKE ACTION against Iran within its own borders, rather than just inside Iraq”…looks like the pieces are about to come together. Israel’s strike in Syria and this statement appear to have some connection, IMO.
September 12th, 2007 at 9:55 amThis stuff is happening fast. This morning I thought: “a couple or few weeks” This afternoon, I’m calling bets off.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:12 amIt’s a “high risk strategy”? Isn’t that what war is all about…high risk?
“Said Jalili , Iran’s deputy foreign minister, last night said: “I think [the US and its allies] are going to prevaricate with the truth because they know they have been defeated in Iraq and they have not been successful. And so they are going to put the blame on us, on the other side.”
This guy’s joking right? His day is comming too. Shock and awe Part du is going to kick his ass.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:29 amGood for they Brit troops. Not quite the pussies the left UK media wants them to be.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:37 amIt’s about time we shoot back
September 12th, 2007 at 10:39 amIf the Iranian “man on the street” knew what was good for him he would get busy and hang Ahmadinijad and his mullah masters up in the public square, Mussolini style.
This is the only move I can think of to keep the carriers from working their magic.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:41 amThe Brits may have a lot of flawed leaders…
But there soldiers are top notch.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:53 amWhen are we going to punish the iranians for their murderous treachery. Its time to bomb their reactors and snuff out their leadership.
September 12th, 2007 at 11:09 amI pray to God everyday that Bush will give us this one last gift before he leaves office.
Let’s see, if we push it causes peace in it’s wake. If we retreat they get stronger and keep coming. Hey I think I’ve stumbled into a pattern. woah,
for me.
September 12th, 2007 at 11:21 amHail to the Queen….Brits are awesome and not skerd!
Matter of time the iranians will see what AMerica has in store for their sorry asses…..
To Iran, get your virgins ready……
September 12th, 2007 at 11:31 amPlease beware of anything you read in Independant, it’s not exactly unbiased about Iraq. This isn’t a new thing, Operations along the border in Maysan have been going on since at least 2004. Michael Yon went on one months ago.
Another article on this Op is below (and at least the Telegraph journalist was there to see it for himself instead of working off a press release in the Green Zone).
www.telegraph.co.uk/ne…raq411.xml
September 12th, 2007 at 11:45 amDud link, try this one
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/11/wiraq411.xml
September 12th, 2007 at 11:46 am@jam
If the Iranian “man on the street” knew what was good for him he would get busy and hang Ahmadinijad and his mullah masters up in the public square, Mussolini style.
This is the only move I can think of to keep the carriers from working their magic.
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Either that or get the fuck outta the line of fire … I think we all know there are “good” Iranians who absolutely wish to hell the President (he whose name I refuse to speak) and the Mullahs would just die already … These folks are nearly as powerless, but not as ignorant, as the Iraqis.
It’s like Glenn Beck has always said, `We didn’t go to Iraq for WMD … We went so we’d have bases close to Iran …’
Our brothers and sisters in Israel are ready … “Let’s fucking roll!”
September 12th, 2007 at 11:56 amIran needs to be taught a lesson that it, and other terrorist states throughout history, will never forget.
Time to deal with Iran and its leaders once and for all!
For the benefit of all Americans and the free world, I urge our President to take decisive action against the terrorist Iranian regime.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:19 pmI still believe President Bush will not leave a nuclear Iran on Earth. How he will accomplish that I do not know but the time to act is growing short.
In the words of Judge Mills,”Let’s get it ON!”
September 12th, 2007 at 2:03 pm@ In the words of Judge Mills,”Let’s get it ON!”
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Here I thought Marvin Gaye said that …
September 12th, 2007 at 2:25 pmDam. Can’t even go out for a few hours.
September 12th, 2007 at 2:30 pm“Brigadier James Bashall, commander said: “We have been asked to help …. I am willing to do so… I am sure we can do what needs to be done.”
Absolutely beautiful…That deserves respect!
September 12th, 2007 at 3:02 pmTick….Tick…Tick…The countdown has begun..for the love of God, let’s hope so. Time to squish that little dog turd…watch out monkey boy, something funny might happen at your one and only refinery…
September 12th, 2007 at 4:18 pm[…] The Proxy War: UK Troops are sent to Iranian border […]
September 12th, 2007 at 4:55 pmIranian president (he whose name I will not speak) and Dennis Kucinich …
Twin sons of different mothers … but by the same damn dog.
September 12th, 2007 at 5:02 pmI have been waiting 31 fucking years for the chance to blast those bastards back to hell.
We can all thank that worthless peanut farmer Jimmy “stupid fucking pussy” Carter… I swear to God that is his real middle name…I Googled it.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:05 pmanyone wonder if the GWB prime time speech thursday night has more to do with some other announcement than simply a bolstering of general petraues? one could only hope..
September 12th, 2007 at 9:17 pmdrillanwr,
Hadn’t thought of it before, but those little bitches do look like they came out of the same litter.
September 13th, 2007 at 6:33 amBunch of guys on here were upset about UK forces pulling out of Basra palace just recently. Thing is Basra palace sucked as a operating base. Without drawing a map it was stuck right down in the SE corner of the city, with the river on one side and shithouse marshes behind. Anybody coming in and out of the base would be ‘dicked’ immediately and suprise hard to achieve. When we had two other bases in the centre and NE then it was not so bad, but it always was the worst location of the three from a miliary standpoint. We stayed there so long for crap political reasons. The main base at the airport was a 45 min drive and you had to push through the city traffic to do it. Having a battalion down there made no sense. If it hadnt been saddams old palace you would never pick it as a location.
September 13th, 2007 at 8:04 amNow we are free of being tied to that bottleneck base, we can divert more resources to dominating the area around basra, and leave the city police work to the iraqi’s. Thats the plan all along right? Sooner we achieve that sooner we win and can go home (though that aint going to fully happen just yet I know). I think there are more good news stories coming out of the south once you strip out the media hype and negativity.