Hey, finally finished "Discipline and Punish" this weekend and read "3001-Final Odyssey" in 24 hours!

Back to random commentary. The "evacuation" of British troops from Basra is a bit of a non-event as "we're" still there, and in considerable,albeit useless, numbers at the nearby airport.

Why are we there?

If we (I mean they, as I'M not at war with anyone) are at War, "we" must have clearly definable and achievable objectives (which I would assume would be a "peaceful and democratic Iraq", although by our standards that doesn't really mean anything). Constantly changing objectives doesn't count and implies that there are hidden,unchanging objctives.

If we do not have any definable and achievable objectives, other than "establishing and maintaining a presence" (and being shot at), we/they are engaging in Terrorist operations against the Iraqi people, plain and simple.