Then There Were 2,500 ; The British Are Going, The British Are Going!

We don't have video of this announcement yet, but here is a two part interview with Gordon Brown by BBC reporter, Andrew Marr. Once today's video is available, it will be up.

Part One



Part Two



Gordon Brown this afternoon announced that UK troops in Iraq will be reduced to 2,500 by the Spring. He also gave details about Iraqi nationals who are working as interpreters having aid available to them for the chance to settle in the UK.

In the discussion of it being a defeat for allied forces, Prime Minister Brown said the reason these withdrawals are happening is because Iraqi forces are able to take control for themselves.

Tell The Truthiness ; Despite the disaster that Iraq has been for all those concerned in recent times, this, that troops are coming home, is good news.

War On Reality Part 46 ; UK Troops Head Home, Via Tehran

A proxy war seems about to take place on the border of Iraq and Iran, as UK troops have been moved to that area, at the request of the Americans.

350 members of the UK armed forces have been moved from Basra (we guess from the duty free shop at the airport, since that's where they were moved to just a little while ago), after the US warned that Iran was backing conflict by factions over the border in Iraq.

This story has been receiving limited coverage in the UK, mostly in The Independent newspaper.

Tell The Troops The Truthiness ; If the Americans told UK forces to jump off a cliff, would they do it?

Troops Show Their True Feelings In Basra Pullout

It seems that those UK troops leaving Basra couldn't keep their real feelings quiet, as this picture shows.

Tell The Truthiness ; Some details coming in about more UK troops leaving, we'll post when we get the details.

War On Reality Part 35 ; UK Basra Exit 'Not A Defeat', What The F*@k Is It Then?

Yesterday's British withdrawal of troops from Basra Palace to a base at the airport has been defended as "not a defeat" by most of the UK government and anyone who's been asked from the Ministry Of Defence.

But for many, the very action of removing these troops shows that the pull-out of the vast majority of UK forces is in "all but word" a defeat.

A former Foreign Office offical said there has been no coalition control over Southern Iraq for two and a half years.

Tell The Truthiness ; Mr Bush, are your shoulders slightly colder now that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is standing some distance away?

Its Getting Hot In Here ; Take Off All Your Responsibility

We know this is directly from The NewsHole website, but....

Hands up all those going on summer holiday....



And hands up all those who are not off on holiday today...



Tell The Truthiness ; It's awfully hot in Baghdad, it must effect your judgement, if only the White House could use the weather excuse.

Queer Eye For The New Guy

With the terribly friendly atmosphere between Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President George Bush threatening to turn into a love fest, we point out the important aspects of the Camp David meeting.

Like the choice of ties with Tony Blair and the new PM in the Commons, as we reported, a similar situation has happened at today's meeting.

Mr Brown was wearing a blue, conservative tie and Mr Bush was wearing a red labour coloured tie.

Tell The Truthiness ; We knew they've said they're still close, but are they dragging their parties in new directions?!

Queer Eye For The Labour Guy

Fellow bloggers akromatika and xakkd reminded us about poor colour co-ordination in political stories.

This picture shows former Prime Minister Tony Blair, wearing a red tie, making his last statement to Parliament, with his replacement Gordon Brown, wearing a blue tie, sitting next to him.

Mr Blair and Mr Brown's Labour Party colour is red, with the opposing party, the Conservatives settling on blue.

Tell The Truthiness ; Perhaps someone should have told Mr Brown to keep a united front and wear a red tie and not the colour of the opposition!

It Might Rain A Year From Today ; UK Scare Tactics Rolled Out

The usually unflinching Brits are going through an interesting time right now as a new era is being moulded by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Since the failed car bombings, the urge to remain 'on alert' has been a non-stop story.

Now the UK's security minster Sir Alan West has said the fight against this terrorism could last 15 years.

Tell The Truthiness ; You shouldn't make sweeping generalisations like this. You may cite it as being 'honest and open' to citizens, but it gets hijacked by areas of government and the media and used to scare the population out of their wits. Tomorrow forces may leave Iraq and begin diplomacy with those fighting the coalition. Then again, it might not happen, but predicting the future in this fashion is a dangerous thing.

As Bush and Mission Accomplished can show, running things to a timetable isn't always the best way to operate.

Are The Walls Coming Tumbling Down At The White House, Leaving A Bare Iraq Policy Exposed For All To See?

A number of things seem to have happened at once in the past 24 hours, though seemingly unconnected, their effect could be the change in the wind which may make the US turn it's tide of offense in Iraq.

Firstly, in Washington, two leading senior Republicans, supporters of the President's strategy (if you can call it that) in Iraq have both spoken out against more of the same in the continuing conflict. Senator Richard Lugar voiced his concerns in a floor speech that the surge in Iraq just isn't working. Plus John Warner agreed with Mr Lugar's comments.

Secondly, the UK Prime Minister stepped down and his replacement, Gordon Brown, the former Chancellor is expected to have a cooled relationship with the US and is due to announce plans to scale down UK troop numbers in Iraq. As one commentator said '' Brown can have a more remote relationship with Bush and no-one will say a word against him, because unlike Tony Blair, Gordon Brown never said he would stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with him''.

Tell The Truthiness ; We might not have to wait until September for changes, Mr Bush may not be able to leave Iraq for the next guy and just might have to begin to clean up his own mess.

Gordon 'Soul Man' Brown ; Late Breaking Update

It just occurred to us, if Gordon Brown can set up a Scottish Soul tribute band he could corner the market (there must be) of bored Labour voters who like Scottish Soul Music.

Tell The Truthiness ; To some though, he still looks shifty, like a bank manager you just can't feel comfortable with.

James Brown Becomes UK Prime Minister ; Man Got Soul ; Gordon Brown To Set Up Tribute Band

With Tony Blair to stand-down as UK Prime Minister this week, his deputy, Gordon Brown has just been made head of the Labour Party in preparation for his premiership later this week.

In his speech to the party in Manchester, the Deputy PM who many depict as quiet and brooding has said the party has to get soul.

Yes, get soul.

We're not sure yet whether he means UK based, northern soul, or it's fatherly relative, the US original created by people like Mr James Brown.

Tell The Truthiness ; If Mr Brown can sell his Scottishness and soul to the public, he could become a popular leader. He could be a soul man.

Iraq Reality ; In Shades Of Black, White, Grey & Brown?

With Iraq being spoken of by George Bush as some kind of moral, even religious Crusade, the discussion about pulling out has moved on in the UK, by the man due to take the place of Tony Blair in a month's time.

The current Chancellor, Gordon Brown, due to take the PM's seat in No.10 at the end of next month has been forewarned by Labour party members that the policy of the UK in Iraq could cast a shadow over the party and country.

Mr Brown himself has said that mistakes were made and Iraq has been a divisive issue for the country as a whole.

When questioned on whether the UK would support military action against Iran, he answered by saying that the country wants a peaceful solution to the issues being discussed.

So in all but name, Britain has said it wouldn't go into Iran. OK, it did come from the man who isn't YET in charge, so maybe his outlook on that might change when he takes the big job in June.

Tell The Truthiness ; We all know that heading into office can change opinions, remember George saying '' I don't think the United States has to go around the World telling people 'this is how it's got to be ' ''. Don't burn those 'Can't we all just get along?' , peace banners just yet.