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| Iraq pull-out may begin in March | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| British forces could begin pulling out of Iraq by next March, a senior defence source has revealed to the BBC. | |
| The UK has been negotiating the legal basis on which its forces can stay when its UN mandate expires at the end of the year. | |
| It still has 4,100 troops in Basra but defence chiefs plan a withdrawal over the next year if Iraqi elections in January pass off peacefully. | It still has 4,100 troops in Basra but defence chiefs plan a withdrawal over the next year if Iraqi elections in January pass off peacefully. |
| A withdrawal could allow soldiers to be diverted to Afghanistan. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has indicated that almost all British troops should leave Iraq by the middle of next year, with a few hundred possibly remaining to train Iraqi security forces. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has indicated that almost all British troops should leave Iraq by the middle of next year, with a few hundred possibly remaining to train Iraqi security forces. |
| Previously it had been suggested that troops could start leaving in January. | Previously it had been suggested that troops could start leaving in January. |
| However, the BBC has learned that the process is likely to begin in March - six years after the US-led invasion. | However, the BBC has learned that the process is likely to begin in March - six years after the US-led invasion. |
| 'Significant progress' | 'Significant progress' |
| A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "Significant progress has been made in Basra, a city which has now been transformed thanks to Iraqi, coalition and British efforts.Some troops could eventually be redeployed to Afghanistan | A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "Significant progress has been made in Basra, a city which has now been transformed thanks to Iraqi, coalition and British efforts.Some troops could eventually be redeployed to Afghanistan |
| "As such, we are now expecting to see a fundamental change of mission in early 2009." | "As such, we are now expecting to see a fundamental change of mission in early 2009." |
| The majority of the British troops are confined to Basra air base. | The majority of the British troops are confined to Basra air base. |
| The Iraqi parliament may have to vote on any deal to allow British troops to remain in the country beyond the end of the year. | |
| It recently agreed a similar deal which allows American forces to remain in Iraq for another three years. | |
| US troops are due to pull out of Iraqi cities by the middle of next year, and be gone completely by December 2011. | |
| The US is planning to boost the strength of its force in Afghanistan in the new year and is hoping its Nato allies follow suit. | The US is planning to boost the strength of its force in Afghanistan in the new year and is hoping its Nato allies follow suit. |
| BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq "should allow a renewed focus on the multi-national mission in Afghanistan, which is facing a stalemate". | |
| She said it would free up helicopters, intelligence assets and eventually troops for the battle against the Taleban. |