Christmas Day fun for UK troops in Basra

Basra Police Station reduced to rubble by UK forces(AP photo)

Over 1,000 British troops raided Jamiat Police station in Basra said (BBC Radio 4 0800 GMT) to be notorious as a "centre for corruption , torture and killing ", they took 76 prisoners held there and moved them to an alternative Iraqi detention facility and then (as part of the re-construction program?) blew up the Police Station.

Major Charlie Burbridge,said there were "very few" officers at the station when the raid took place and that, while there had been no resistance as yet, the British force was prepared for and expected retaliatory attacks from local gunmen.

Over 800 British troops backed with armoured vehicles recently arrested a senior officer in the Basra Serious Crimes Unit who has been accused of ordering the murder of 17 staff at a British-run police academy. "The Serious Crimes Unit is in the process of being disbanded," added Burbidge.

There may well be a serious, rational explanation of how the Coalition of the Willing introduce Laura Norder to Iraq, by blowing up Police Stations - but then, the UK forces have a record of smashing up Police Stations in Basra ? (it was indeed this one)

This is my child what we in the West call exporting Democracy.

Update 26th Dec.

BBC report "UK raid angers Basra politicians"

Mohammed al Abadi, head of the city's council, said the raid was provocative and illegal and local officials had not been informed of the operation. He also said it violated earlier agreements to move the prisoners without military action.

Major Burbidge said ..." we're pretty confident we've done the right thing here."

The Torygraph report Basra's police chief, General Mohammed al-Musawi, claiming they had lost track of 20 of the most dangerous criminals in Basra.He condemned the raid which was carried out without warning after two days of talks on moving the unit's headquarters.

An Iraqi army commander, Gen Ali Ibrahim, branded the raid "illegal". The Torygraph hav an interesting video.