Yesterday, Muqtada al-Sadr was quoted as saying of the British military presence in Iraq:
“They are retreating because of the resistance they have faced. Without that, they would have stayed for much longer, there is no doubt.”
Unfortunately for the British, the trend in casualties in Iraq does reinforce what he had to say about the situation. For the last year, the 3-month moving average for combat classified casualties has climb steadily, rising from 7 per month in July 2006 to 42 per month by the end of June this year. Total casualties for 2007 have so far reached 1246.
Casualty Monitor has more details and also looks at the more mixed picture arising from the statistics for the war in Afghanistan.
Yes, let's get out of Iraq now. But even more important, let those in the media and parliament never again be complicit with the engines of war. The phrase, 'lions led by donkeys' comes to mind, though in this case the donkeys are much of the media, including some so-called left-liberal publications and journalists – shame on them! – and of course, the mass of pliant MPs who voted for war even when most British people knew it was all based on lies.