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British Soldiers leaving Iraq

David Mazower | 17:52 UK time, Wednesday, 21 February 2007

It's Karnie live blogging today...

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that 1600 troops will soon be coming home from Iraq . And the Danish government says all its troops are pulling out as well .

We're asking:
What do you think ? Should the troops stay or go ?

Also...As you heard in the news there is political uncertainty in Italy. The Ö÷²¥´óÐã has learnt - Romano Prodi's government is is "inclined to" present its resignation to the president after a major defeat in a Senate vote on foreign policy on Wednesday.

ALESSANDRO - ITALY
Yes, I think it has to resign. A government that's not able to govern it's own country has to go. Mr Prodi is not strong enough!

But let's get back to Iraq for now...we will return to Italy in a bit...

Lubna in Iraq says
Hi folks the British forces entered my Iraq, created a mess in it and then they want to run away and leave a mess behind..how brave!

Anonymous:
That is the trait of big powers- invade a country, create chaos there and leave it to be further rampaged by uncontrolled thugs and militias.

Pastor Bah Pius in Cameroon
George bush is pressing for more troops to be sent to Iraq today. Blair is withdrawing 1600 troops. The west is confused...they have failed.

Anonymous:
The UK should have done this one year ago. Not at a time when Bush regime is going down.it looks like the UK is wagging its tail for the US.

Johnson in Nigeria says:
The coincidence of British troop reduction with the impending deployment of Prince Harry to the war front is striking? Does Buckingham have a hand in this. Anyway this is really a cold and lonely time for Bush.

Errol in Boston, US says
I was always against the war in Iraq (Afghanistan is a different story). As costly as it turned out to be, there is an obligation to leave it if not better, no worse than when we invaded. It is especially incumbent on those supporters of the war to do the heavy lifting and do the right thing for the troops and the Iraqis.

Mark in Vancouver says:
Lets see..tens of thousands dead, resources pirated, infrastructure in a shambles and a virtual civil war..sounds like mission accomplished to me...come on home boys!

Mithril says:
Can somebody please tell me what the mission was that they were sent to do? What was the reason for the mission, say remove Saddam and what was the reason for that reason? How do we know they are not there on a never ending mission?

Ngozi in Nigeria says:
Why should the British pull out of Iraq now? They went there to protect the people but have failed. They should remain until the problem is resolved..

Ian has served in Iraq from 2003 - 2004 - he says it's time to give the Iraqis a chance to run their own Democracy...

Lawal says
All foreign troops should leave immediately. They are the problem and will continue to be.

Chinthuli in Malawi says
Bush's floundering around like a headless hen from the Democrats has prompted a Blair early pullout from Iraq.

Anonymous
Withdrawal of an army is simply means leaving them is a lurch. They should rather must be there.

Ibrahiim in Nairobi
I am happy for the British troops and Danish to go home but the US are still at war with Iraq...

Bubakar says:
Withdrawal at this stage is total capitulation to Al Qaeda which would eventually spell nothing for the middle east but doom and gloom.

Anonymous
Well done Blair. The chicks have finally come to roost. This has been the fate of all demagogues through history. Bush will finally be brought to shame.

Jeff In Zambia says...
People should not vote labour in the may elections for the sake of the sake of the innocent lives that have been lost in iraq. Enough is enough.

Adane says..
Please tell the Americans to learn from their past mistakes and leave Somalia for Somalis. Ethiopia should also withdraw and Uganda should not go to Somalia.

Clement in Australia
I believe it's time for those troops to come home, given the fact that, their presence in Iraq up to now did not improve the situations. I really appreciate their efforts in removing the brutal regime of the late Saddam.

Max in the UK
Blair wants 1600 troops to be cut back. One infantry battalion is about 650 men. We coincidentally have 646 members of Parliament. Why not substitute one group for another, and then the experience may well focus certain minds as to what our forces are facing on a daily basis, and to give clear options whether we should stay or withdrawal. No doubt Mr Blair had this move approved by Mr Bush - after all, he was 'shoulder to shoulder' to invade in 2003...

Anon from Kenya
The time is right for EITHER a troop reduction OR a surge. Not both. Why has Blair stopped beating his drum around the Bush?

Steve in the US says..
You just have to face facts. Sunnis and shiites cannot live together in peace. Either Iraq needs to be split up, or they need another dictator to rule with an Iron thumb, or US/coalition troops will never be able to leave.

Kim in Oregan, US
Killing the enemy is one thing, killing thousands of civilians and our own soldiers is another. We've made a complete blunder and we're making it worse by staying there.

Dwight from the US
It sounds like according to some of your commenters, the problem with Iraq, is that it is full of Iraqis. Is that the mission not yet accomplished?

Kalypso in Austria
The US has created this horrible situation in Iraq. I am not sure, if it is good or bad when troops leave soon. God knows, how the situation can be solved.

Para in Nepal
British troops can go home..why not? They've done their job now. Iraqis have to take over the situation and troops need not risk their lives anymore.

Mark says
This has nothing to do with what's best for Iraq or the British troops and everything to do with what's best for Tony Blair.

Anonymous
The Iraq problem is an anglo-american creation. The war was launched under false pretences with limited local and international support. Clean up your mess boys

Anonymous
This just means that the Americans & their puppet friends achieved what they wanted. That is is to kill Saddam Hussein. Now he is gone, they find it pointless to be there anymore.

Anonymous in Kenya
The time is right for EITHER a troop reduction OR a Surge. Not both. Why has Blair stopped beating his drum around the Bush?

Mohammed in Freetown
Democratic rule is now in Iraq. Let the US & BRITAIN leave them to run their own affairs and to put an end to insurgence.

Hamad in Nigeria says
I am disappointed in Blair. What does he think about disarming Iran as he is running away from Basra.

Anis in Pakistan
In my opinion like the British army all should vacate and the control of IRAQ should be given to the UN forces.

Moving onto Italy and the Italian Government..we've just heard Italy's President accepts Prime Minister Prodi's resignation

Matteo in Italy
Yes, the government should resign

Judah, Vienna, Austria (US citizen)
Yes, the Prodi government should resign. They can clearly not rely on the confidence of the Parliament, and having such a slim majority in the first place, should take this as a sign from above to resign and maybe Mr.Prodi should finally step out of Italian politics and get a comfy job in Brussels (again).

Carla in Italy says nobody in Italy is capable of running the country.

Pierre Turin, Italy
Of course the government should resign. My guess is they will renegotiate positions of power amongst themselves and try to cling to their seats, as Italian politicians always do. They are useless and despicable parasites, no better than the Berlusconi they unseated.

Dario Catania, Italy
Now the Unione lost its vote, and should resign. A government without a majority and without a consensus on foreign affairs does not exist.

Francesco, Italy
PM Prodi and his ministers must resign. A citizen have the right to live in a safe Country and also stable that a communist-threatened governement can not provide!

And that's the Live discussion for tonight..thanks again for all your comments and thank you for joining the WHYS team!

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