Revealed: The true extent of Britain's failure in Basra

The Independent by Patrick Cockburn | Feb. 24, 2007 (News Analysis)

Local militias are often not only out of control of the Iraqi government, but of their supposed leaders in Baghdad. The big money earner for local factions is the diversion of oil and oil products, with the profits a continual source of rivalry and a cause of armed clashes. Mr Knights and Mr Williams say that control in the south is with a "well-armed political-criminal Mafiosi [who] have locked both the central government and the people out of power". Full Story »

Posted by David Patterson

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Subjects: World
Topics: Iraq
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Posted by: Posted by David Patterson - Feb 24, 2007 - 6:29 AM PST
Reviewed by: David Patterson (review), Kaizar Campwala (review), Mike LaBonte (review)
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Edited by: Marty Heyman - Feb 25, 2007 - 8:18 AM PST

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Kaizar Campwala
3.4
 by Kaizar Campwala - Oct. 1, 2008
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Mike LaBonte
2.9
 by Mike LaBonte - Oct. 1, 2008

This is opinion as fact, with a single source. Opposing viewpoints are barely represented. The historical context only serves to bolster the opinion because it's theme is British failures, not a representative sample of British military ventures. It does support at least some of it's claims with evidence, and it's point may be fairly important so I bumped up my recommendation.

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David Patterson
4.0
 by David Patterson - Oct. 1, 2008

The Paragraph I selected seems to say that Iraq "Democracy" is more like Ours than we care to admit. Perhaps a little more direct and personal. Excellent article with historical perspective from other British military failures. This report seems to contradict the glowing assessments from the White House in response to the British announcement of withdrawal

David posted this story.
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