British agenda in Iraq.

[Bogwarrior]

I've been reading on the BBC website, that Iraqi police have arrested two British soldiers in Basra. It's claimed they were working undercover, and had been shooting at police in the City. What exactly is the US/UK agenda in Iraq? Is it to deliberately cause strife, to break up Iraq into three parts, with the oil rich North and South, being run by subservient Kurd and Shia parties, leaving the Sunnis contained in Mid Iraq. Britain did the same in the 20s, when they formed the artificial state of Kuwait, by partitioning Iraq. Could many of the recent attacks against Shias, and also Sunni civilians be a psy-op by the USUK? Why would undercover Brits be shooting at Iraqi police in Basra?

[badinage]

at a guess, based on what I've read, they were driving in a civilian vehicle, dressed in civilian clothes. When they were stopped by an Iraqi police checkpoint, fire was exchanged, and one Iraqi policeman was killed.

Its possible the policemen believed the British were terrorists (men in civilian clothes with non-British Army weapons). Its also possible the police were going to arrest them to check their story out, so the British tried to do a runner to keep their cover, or because they didn't trust the Iraqi police. Or its possible that one of the two British was simply unstable and fired without good reason.

If this was part of some masterplan to divide Iraq, as you suggest, then the plan would be to make the Shia south a pro-Western dependency, like Kuwait. Killing Shia policemen and provoking a Shia mob to set two Warriors on fire and nearly lynch their crews is hardly the best way of going about it.

Incidentally, I think credit is due to the crews of those two Warriors, who when their vehicles were surrounded by an angry mob trying to set them on fire, chose not to drive through the mob to make their escape (thus risking killing rioters), but to bail out instead, risking being beaten to death by the mob. I doubt the Americans would have reacted so non-violently.

[Bogwarrior]

I was thinking more along the lines of attacking Shias, through car bombs etc, who then blame and exile the Sunni's, creating a civil war situation, thus breaking up Iraq. Most Resistance groups have alleged that US agents were behind many of the atrocities against Shias, and have openly condemned attacks on Shia civilians. I know its just a conspiracy theory, but given the track records of the CIA and Brit Intelligence, it cannot be ruled out. Whatever todays incident will be a major setback for British interests in Southern Iraq. Hopefully this will be the catalyst, for the Shias to rise up, and join their Sunni countrymen, in the fight against the occupation.

[sid]

sounds like a gang************************ at a checkpoint to me, though lots of snippets suggest that the local police aren't particularly trustworthy and have been working both sides of the fence.

also true to note is that fake police checkpoints have been springing up in the basrah area, mainly designed to aid 'progressive taxation', but if a car full of lads got the wrong idea about a checkpoint its easy to see how such a thing could happen.

as for the conspiracy theory, if we want the locals to think that sunnis are bombing them, best not to have the bombers look like british soldiers wearing a dish-dash and speaking with london, brummie and glasgow accents!

[Bogwarrior]

Well. To quote The Bard himself, "You could not make it up"
The two British gunmen, are back with their associates, after British tanks rammed the prison walls and sprung them from legal custody. Iraq is a banana Republic. The lunatics have taken over the asylum. And the honeymoon is finally over for Tommy.
I think thats enough cliches for one post. So this is the New Iraq?

[sid]

i bet you lot wish you had a tank now!

legal arguments are some much more persuasive when 70 tonnes of challenger 2 comes through your wall at 50mph.

there seems to be some confusion as whether they were actually held by the 'official' iraqi police or the section of the iraqi police that works for whichever religous group who holds sway this week.

[Worldbystorm]

Difficult to believe that the US/UK are keen to split Iraq into three components. There would be little percentage in it for them. Iraq as a federation is the best possibility. Worst would be a largely rebellious Sunni central area capable of destabilising Shia and Kurd areas.

Incidentally to describe either the Kurds or the Shia as subservient is a good one.

Many Shia formations have been in open conflict with the US in particular. The Kurds are merely repaying a debt, one where the US acted reasonably honorably in shoring up their enclave in the North after the first Iraq war. I can't see that debt being written on a blank cheque.

[badinage]

its one thing to park a few Warriors outside the jail to ensure the two officers (the media is reporting them as officers anyway) aren't handed over by the police to be lynched by a mob - its quite another thing to insist the police release them to the British at gunpoint.

That said, I suppose the legality of it seems unimportant when faced with the possibility that the continued presence of a platoon outside the jail tomorrow or on through the week might lead to further loss of Warriors and more burnt soldiers, along with the possibility of a Bloody Sunday style shooting incident further worsening Shia-British Army relations. Plus a bunch of vehicles sitting stationary with a line of shield-wielding soldiers in between makes an inviting target for any insurgent with a mortar.

...

I like the way the MOD are claiming the Army "accidentally" knocked down the wall of the prison...

[sid]

I like the way the MOD are claiming the Army "accidentally" knocked down the wall of the prison...

cav you see, thick as siht and blind as a bat.

the media describe all soldiers as officers, but i think they must be from navy because they have beards...

[badinage]

no guarantees it was the armoured corps - the media describe all tracked vehicles as "tanks". I assumed it was a Warrior that backed into the wall.

Possibly while on fire...