Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BASRAH81
2007-09-07 14:29:00
SECRET//NOFORN
REO Basrah
Cable title:
(S//NF) UK FORCES CONTEMPLATE IRAQ DRAWDOWN TIMELINE
how-toVZCZCXRO1134 RR RUEHBC DE RUEHBC #0081 2501429 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 071429Z SEP 07 FM REO BASRAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0594 RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0176 INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHEFDHP/DIA DHP-1 WASHINGTON DC RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0039 RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0626
S E C R E T BASRAH 000081
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/7/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MARR UK IZ
SUBJECT: (S//NF) UK FORCES CONTEMPLATE IRAQ DRAWDOWN TIMELINE
REF: BASRAH 67
CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, Regional Embassy Office
- Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)
S E C R E T BASRAH 000081
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/7/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MARR UK IZ
SUBJECT: (S//NF) UK FORCES CONTEMPLATE IRAQ DRAWDOWN TIMELINE
REF: BASRAH 67
CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, Regional Embassy Office
- Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)
1. (S//NF) During a September 6 briefing, MND-SE commander MG
Graham Binns asked his staff to contemplate what actions would
be required to turn security for Basrah province to Iraqi
control (PIC) in October. Binns suggested "exploiting" this
period of calm to engage key leaders, by driving a wedge between
national and external elements of Jaish al-Mahdi. He also said
it was important to support requests by Basrah security chief
GEN Mohan Hafith Fahad and police chief MG Jalil Khalaf Shueil
for increased troops and equipment to show that Iraqis were
improving security.
2. (S//NF) Binns also asked his staff to contemplate what the
composition and disposition of UK forces should be after PIC.
He said it was unlikely that they could be sure of their plans
until after GEN Peter Petraeus' report to Congress in September
and UK PM Gordon Brown's report to Parliament in October. Binns
predicted that the UK's long-term involvement in Iraq would end
by April/May 2008. To present their case for PIC in October to
MNC-I commander LTG Ray Odierno, he said it was necessary to
make assumptions now about what the situation in spring 2008
would look like.
3. (S//NF) Comment: As we have previously reported, Basrah
province has effectively moved to PIC. (See ref.) While the
British will push hard to officially turnover the province in
the near-term, it is only a matter of time. The real question
is what kind of posture they will take after PIC and how will
the ISF respond.
BONO
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/7/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS MARR UK IZ
SUBJECT: (S//NF) UK FORCES CONTEMPLATE IRAQ DRAWDOWN TIMELINE
REF: BASRAH 67
CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, Regional Embassy Office
- Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)
1. (S//NF) During a September 6 briefing, MND-SE commander MG
Graham Binns asked his staff to contemplate what actions would
be required to turn security for Basrah province to Iraqi
control (PIC) in October. Binns suggested "exploiting" this
period of calm to engage key leaders, by driving a wedge between
national and external elements of Jaish al-Mahdi. He also said
it was important to support requests by Basrah security chief
GEN Mohan Hafith Fahad and police chief MG Jalil Khalaf Shueil
for increased troops and equipment to show that Iraqis were
improving security.
2. (S//NF) Binns also asked his staff to contemplate what the
composition and disposition of UK forces should be after PIC.
He said it was unlikely that they could be sure of their plans
until after GEN Peter Petraeus' report to Congress in September
and UK PM Gordon Brown's report to Parliament in October. Binns
predicted that the UK's long-term involvement in Iraq would end
by April/May 2008. To present their case for PIC in October to
MNC-I commander LTG Ray Odierno, he said it was necessary to
make assumptions now about what the situation in spring 2008
would look like.
3. (S//NF) Comment: As we have previously reported, Basrah
province has effectively moved to PIC. (See ref.) While the
British will push hard to officially turnover the province in
the near-term, it is only a matter of time. The real question
is what kind of posture they will take after PIC and how will
the ISF respond.
BONO