British forces begin withdrawal from Iraq

A senior British general handed over control of the United Kingdom's base in Basra to American forces, in a ceremony that marks the first stage of a total withdrawal of British troops from Iraq.

High-ranking American, British and Iraqi officers were expected to mark the occasion in recognition of the 179 British soldiers, airmen and sailors who have died in Iraq over the past six years.

"It is the beginning of the drawdown of coalition forces of which Britain has been an integral part," a British officer told AFP.

"Although this is the start of a withdrawal, there is still work to be done and that will continue until the last British soldier has left the country," he added.

Handing over to US

Major General Andy Salmon, the senior British officer in Basra, will hand over the southern base to an American commander, in what is a key step towards all foreign troops leaving the country and a full return to Iraqi sovereignty.

The colors of the coalition's Multinational Division South-East, a specially-inscribed Royal Marines flag, will be lowered and replaced with the standard of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division.

Britain, under then Prime Minister Tony Blair, was America's key ally when President George W. Bush ordered his forces to invade Iraq in March 2003 to end its alleged nuclear weapons program.

British troop numbers in the campaign were the second largest, peaking at 46,000 in March and April 2003 at the height of combat-operations that resulted in the ouster of President Saddam Hussein and his eventual execution for crimes against humanity.

A deal signed by Baghdad and London last year agreed that the last 4,100 British soldiers would complete their mission, primarily training the Iraqi army, by June, before a complete withdrawal from the country in late July.

Although this is the start of a withdrawal, there is still work to be done and that will continue until the last British soldier has left the country

British officer

"Freedom and democracy"

The British contribution to the invasion and subsequent reconstruction efforts has been praised by American and Iraqi officers.

"British forces have been our strongest ally throughout this campaign," said U.S. Army Major General Michael Oates, who will become the senior coalition officer in Basra when the British-led unit ceases to exist on Tuesday.

The Iraqi army's senior officer in the province used a farewell feast at Basra's Shaat al-Arab Hotel at the weekend to praise Britain for its support in the wake of Saddam's fall.

"I would like to thank the British nation for the assistance they have provided to help rid us of dictatorship and live in freedom and democracy," said Major General Hawedi Mohammed.

Basra, Iraq's third-largest city and a strategic oil hub, had been under British command since the invasion, but the province and its airport returned to Iraqi control three months ago.

As well as training the Iraqi army, Britain has been instrumental in the rebirth of the war-battered country's navy.

A Royal Navy training team is based at the southern port of Umm Qasr and its role is expected to continue although a new agreement has yet to be reached between the two governments.

Relations between London and Baghdad should in theory revert to the same footing as those between other sovereign countries when British troops complete their withdrawal.

I would like to thank the British nation for the assistance they have provided to help rid us of dictatorship and live in freedom and democracy

Iraqi general