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.
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.
Another endorsement of the Obama Plan. Now, as I said in the subject, this one certainly matters. When the British PM speaks, America listens.
Come on, Europe: Don't be pussies. Back Obama. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
i don't see any serious downside for yurp backing obama, we're not so big into the Rapture or ww3 as to favour mcpain.
and as i have learned here at ET, obama's centre left is pretty much where the centre right is here....
so where's the payoff for any big cheese here to diss obama?
made in the shade... in like flynn...politics is the new rock and roll, and obama is '57 elvis... ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
But remember with this government that what they say and what they do, and especially what they pay for, are largely unrelated. Troop number will probably not change for a long time yet.
He's only gonna send them to Afghanistan anyway, so it's still taking part in the Bush futility. keep to the Fen Causeway
