Iraq - Japanese & Italians leave, UK takes on more responsibility

250 British troops (plus some Australians) are to quit Muthanna, one of the 4 provinces they "control" and pass responsibility to the Iraqis, it was announced in Baghdad yesterday. It will take a month to handover this desert area of some 1/2 Mn population. There will be no overall reduction in UK troop strength of some 7.200. (Pic Iraqi troops take over)

Des Browne, the gormless and hopelessly out of his depth Defence Secretary, is on a trip to Baghdad, he said this was "a very important first step". "But we have to keep it in perspective," he said. "People ought not to expect an immediate return of our forces home."

Mr Browne talked about Basra and the "long-term aim of handing over responsibility for security to the Iraqi army and police". He failed to explain what precisely "long-term" might mean. He also met the new Interior Minister Jawad Bolani, who has pledged to rid the police forces in Baghdad and elsewhere of religious militia influence ... oh yeah ?

Bolani, who was born in Baghdad, previously worked as an engineer in the Iraqi air force. In 1999, he joined the private sector. After 2003, he entered politics, at the local level in the southern city of Nasiriya and then nationally as an undersecretary for public works. He is a member of the United Iraqi Alliance, the biggest Shiite bloc.

The Interior Ministry needs more "justice and professionalism," Bolani said.

When selected recently, Izzat Shahbandar, an Allawite said he feared that Bolani's allegiance would be to the Shiite parties first, not the country. Presumably the mumbling Scottish incompetent Browne will believe him.

2nd Province for handover more troublesome

The 2nd province to be handed over will be the more volatile Maysan province, where more than a score of British soldiers have been killed.

The 800-strong British battle group based there will not be coming home. Defence planners are considering redeploying it to Nasiriyah, in the province of Dhi Qar, to take the place of more than 1,500 Italians who are returning home . A defence source said. "There is no real enthusiasm for it but if it has to happen then we have to plan for it."

More violence and death was reported ; In Basra, an elderly woman died when a suicide bomber attacked a crowd of disabled people and pensioners queuing for pensions. In Suwayra, 25 miles south of Baghdad, the handcuffed bodies of seven people were pulled from the river Tigris.


All Japanese troops going home

PM Koizumi has announced that Japan will withdraw all its 600 troops from Iraq. "After closely consulting with the United States, the multinational forces, Britain and Australia, I made the decision because I judged that the humanitarian mission has completed a certain achievement in the region," he said.

The troops were given immediate orders to arrange for their withdrawal, a Defence Agency spokesman said. The last troops are expected to return to Japan by late July.

The Japanese troops in Iraq have suffered no casualties and have never even fired their weapons.

Late breaking news about abducted US troops

2 U.S. soldiers missing since an attack on their checkpoint last week have been found dead, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Tuesday.

"The bodies were found last night in the vicinity of Yusufiya. Coalition forces have recovered what we believe are the remains of the soldiers," Major General William Caldwell told a news conference.

Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Pfc. Thomas Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore., disappeared Friday after an attack on a checkpoint they were manning near Yusifiyah, about 20 miles southwest of Baghdad.

A third soldier, Spc. David Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., died in the attack.


The only US soldier still known to be missing in Iraq is Sgt. Keith Maupin, 20. Maupin, of Batavia, Ohio, disappeared on April 9, 2004 when his convoy was attacked near Baghdad International Airport. The military classified him as "captured" after he appeared on an insurgent video.

On April 9, 2004, PFC Matt Maupin's convoy was attacked west of Baghdad. April 13, 2004, Maupin was listed as missing. A videotape of Maupin surrounded by five hooded men was shown on Al - Jazeera TV, April 16, 2004, confirming that Maupin has indeed been captured. May 1, 2004, the Army promotes Maupin to Specialist. One month later in June of 2004, another videotape surfaced of a man Al - Jazeera claims as Maupin.

The man in the video is shown being shot twice in the head and back. July 1, 2004, Brig. Gen. Michael W. Beasley, states that, " There is no bad information, no negative information with regard to Specialist Maupin that is known now. We are continuing full efforts to locate him and return him to his family."

April 19, 2004 - ARMY Changes Status to CAPTURED

Timothy E. "Tim" Bell, 44, of Mobile, a driver for Texas-based Halliburton Co., remains missing after the convoy attack in which Maupin disappeared.

Bell has an adult son and a young daughter; he was engaged to be married when he went to Iraq to earn extra money to start a business in Mobile.

As of June 2004 , 41 Halliburton workers have been killed in Iraq , many of whom were truck drivers.