How many extra British troops may be sent to Iraq and how soon?
No decisions have yet been taken, let alone announced but it’s clear, from the tone of press officers at the Ministry of Defence, that discussions about British troops in Iraq have moved beyond the usual “under review” to active discussions with coalition partners. Defence chiefs are meeting this week and something might be announced by the weekend or early next week. The discussions cover a range of options, from little or no change to the deployment of substantial numbers of troops. Q: Where would they go and how would their role differ from other British troops in the south? It could be that any additional troops are sent to bolster the British-led Multinational Division South East, based around Basra. However, defence officials do not think that last week’s devastating bomb attacks in Basra represent a strategic challenge which necessarily calls for additional troops. The alternative would be to send troops to the neighbouring Multinational Division Central South, currently under P
