Brown plans to withdraw troops as he backs Obama over 'war on terror'

Source: The Independent

Gordon Brown prepared the ground for a historic realignment in the "war on terror" yesterday by setting out a four-point plan for withdrawal of British troops from Iraq by the end of next year.

Although he is refusing to set a detailed timetable for withdrawal, it is clear Mr Brown is in agreement with the US presidential candidate Barack Obama on the need for military action in Afghanistan to take priority. Both appear to be working to a 16-month timetable.

While Mr Brown addressed troops in Basra and met Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, the Democratic hopeful arrived in Afghanistan to declare the US mission there to be more important than that in Iraq. Mr Obama is expected imminently in Iraq, and he will continue on to Europe. He will meet Mr Brown in Downing Street on Saturday.

Their approach is a marked departure from the policies of Tony Blair and President George Bush. But it nonetheless carries echoes of the "shoulder-to-shoulder" relationship between Britain and the US – if Mr Obama defeats his Republican rival John McCain in the November election.



Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/brown-plans-to-withdraw-troops-as-he-backs-obama-over-war-on-terror-872388.html

It's time we end all these "war ons."

They do nothing but cost the public money and liberty, not to mention all the people killed.

Not looking forward to this :(

Barack Obama. Imagine how GW would feel about now if he wasn't already half drunk.

GW sleeps just fine.

We can only hope for more.

I guess my memory is just vaporized. I actually thought that last year the Brits were to be out by June 08, now it's the end of next year.