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Britain To Cut Troops In Iraq To 2,500 In '08

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By DAVID STRINGER, The Associated Press

Published: October 9, 2007

LONDON - Britain will withdraw nearly half its troops in Iraq beginning next spring, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday, leaving a contingent of 2,500 soldiers in the highly unpopular war.

Brown told lawmakers the plan follows the success of the U.S. troop increase this summer and efforts by Iraqis to drive suspected al-Qaida militants from havens in Anbar province west of Baghdad.

Brown said decisions on further cuts will be made once the reduction to 2,500 is complete.

'We plan from next spring to reduce force numbers in southern Iraq to a figure of 2,500,' Brown said in a statement to Parliament.

Britain is currently scaling back forces and by the year's end will have 4,500 troops based mainly at an air base camp on the fringe of the southern city of Basra.

The head of the security committee on the Basra city council, Hakim al-Miyahi, welcomed the decision.

'It is a good step because the withdrawal will be gradual and not abrupt. This means that we will have enough time to get our security forces ready to handle the security issue in Basra, and we expect this to happen in the next year. We hope that the British will continue their support in training and arming Iraqi forces.'

Murtada Ali, 35, a taxi driver in Basra, said 'I think this withdrawal will improve the security in Basra. The presence of British forces in the province has complicated the situation. The lives of civilians are under constant danger when British forces come under attack.'

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