Has the British Strategy in Southern Iraq Failed?

If you come to a fight, be prepared to win or don't come at all. The British apparently were unwilling to put their money where their mouth is.

The British Army’s campaign in southern Iraq, once viewed favorably in contrast to American “bumbling” in the north, has come under criticism, while the surge has met with apparent success. PJM Sydney editor Richard Fernandez on the reversal of fortunes.

Although considerable coverage has been given to the possible failure of the British strategy in southern Iraq, relatively little has been written about its possible underlying causes. On Oct 29, the Daily Telegraph ran a sensational article which suggested the British Army’s position had declined to the point where it is pinned down in its bases and can no longer persuade interpreters to accompany troops on patrol.

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